British holidaymakers have been hit with the news that UK airlines are to raise their fuel surcharges.
The increase in surcharges, announced last week, has piled more misery on UK consumers, already feeling the pinch of the credit-hit economy, and is expected to have an impact on the number of people flying abroad on holiday this summer.
British Airways (BA) raised its surcharge for UK travellers for the second time in a month, citing the rising cost of oil as the main actor behind the price hike on all flights .
It said last week that the fuel bill for flying from London to New York had quadrupled in the past eight years.
As of today, BA’s surcharge will rise to £218 for return flights over nine hours, up from its previous charge of £156, while long-haul return flights of less than nine hours will incur a £156 charge, up from £126. Short-haul flights will also increase from £26 return to £32.
The hike in surcharges means that a family of four booking a trip to US destinations such as Los Angles and San Francisco on BA can now expect to pay an extra £240 for their flights .
The airline added that those who have already booked and paid for their trips will not be forced to pay the higher charge.
It is the thirteenth time BA has increased its fuel surcharges since they were introduced in 2004.
Rival carrier Virgin Atlantic followed suit by announcing fuel surcharge rises last week of between £2.50 and £16.50, depending on the class of travel and length of flight .
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