Fuel Surcharge

[johnnyr]

Is the fuel surcharge something new the airlines are charging this year? I just booked my first flight of 2008 and there is a $20 fuel surcharge per ticket. That's insane! They already raised ticket prices this year. Now they are adding these hidden fees to drive up the price even further!

 

[bicker]

We were assessed a $100 fuel surcharge for our upcoming cruise.

Fuel surcharges are a common practice, in sectors where the service is sold long before it is delivered, before it is clear what the critical costs of the service are. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to book your flight/cruise/whatever until shortly before your trip... leaving things up in the air until then.

 

[johnnyr]

Well, I've flown many flights. This is the first fuel surcharge I saw listed with the other fees. What's next...Lavatory use surcharge?

 

[DebbieB]

The parking lot I use at the airport (Charlie Browns at PIT) adds $2.00 per parking receipt for fuel surcharge! I guess for the shuttle van!

 

[bicker]

Well, I've flown many flights. This is the first fuel surcharge I saw listed with the other fees. What's next...Lavatory use surcharge?

If recharging the toilet doubles in price within a year then perhaps you will. However, I believe the contract you agree to for airline passage only has provisions for surcharging for fuel.

 

[Befferk]

Can they add a fuel charge after you've already bought your tickets? For instance, we bought our airline tickets for this Feb. a year ago already. Can they still add that? I have never flown before, so this was my 1st time buying tickets.

 

[tbrenk73]

Is the fuel surcharge something new the airlines are charging this year? I just booked my first flight of 2008 and there is a $20 fuel surcharge per ticket. That's insane! They already raised ticket prices this year. Now they are adding these hidden fees to drive up the price even further!

Why are you finding it insane? Fuel charges have gone up for everyone.

 

[johnnyr]

Why are you finding it insane? Fuel charges have gone up for everyone.

Because everytime you turn around, they have another surcharge for something. Like I said, I never saw a fuel surcharge on any of my previous tickets until my first booking of 2008.

Instead of increasing the base price of the ticket, they make the price look attractive until you go through the booking process. It is usually just before you enter your CC number where you see the many additional fees that apply. Now there is another one on the list to drive the cost up. I understand fuel is up, but all the problems airlines have get passed onto the consumer. Just frustrating I guess.

 

[bicker]

Can they add a fuel charge after you've already bought your tickets?

The Contract of Carriage with you implicitly agree to when you purchase airline tickets explicitly allows assessing a fuel surcharge at the gate. As far as I know, no major US domestic airline will offer passage without this tenet, however those that refuse to sell tickets until closer to the flight date are more likely to be flexible in that regard. But when you're selling tickets 11 months in advance, there are no guarantees: Not what times the flights will fly at, not what aircraft will be used, not with regard to the number of stops nor where, and not with regard to whether there will be a fuel surcharge or not.

 

[bicker]

Because everytime you turn around, they have another surcharge for something. Like I said, I never saw a fuel surcharge on any of my previous tickets until my first booking of 2008.

I am not sure how long you've been purchasing airline tickets, but I think I recall paying a fuel surcharge in the early 1980s.

Instead of increasing the base price of the ticket

Increasing the base price of the ticket doesn't apply the surcharge to customers who have already booked that flight. Since it is a surcharge, it must be applied to all passengers on a flight, evenly, regardless of when they booked their flight.

 

[Befferk]

The Contract of Carriage with you implicitly agree to when you purchase airline tickets explicitly allows assessing a fuel surcharge at the gate. As far as I know, no major US domestic airline will offer passage without this tenet, however those that refuse to sell tickets until closer to the flight date are more likely to be flexible in that regard. But when you're selling tickets 11 months in advance, there are no guarantees: Not what times the flights will fly at, not what aircraft will be used, not with regard to the number of stops nor where, and not with regard to whether there will be a fuel surcharge or not.

Thank you for your reply. When/how do we find out if our flight has this surcharge?

 

[Lewisc]

What airlines? I just did an adobe acrobat search in both Delta's and SW's CoC and found no reference to any fuel surcharge. Fuel surcharges are found in international flights but I don't recall any domestic airline charging one.


Airlines have the option of quoting higher fares further out, sharpening pencil closer to flight time.

Charging ticketed passengers a surcharge could lead to abusive pricing, unless the surcharge was clearly linked, by formula, to the price of oil or jet fuel

The Contract of Carriage with you implicitly agree to when you purchase airline tickets explicitly allows assessing a fuel surcharge at the gate. As far as I know, no major US domestic airline will offer passage without this tenet, however those that refuse to sell tickets until closer to the flight date are more likely to be flexible in that regard. But when you're selling tickets 11 months in advance, there are no guarantees: Not what times the flights will fly at, not what aircraft will be used, not with regard to the number of stops nor where, and not with regard to whether there will be a fuel surcharge or not.

 

[girli565]

I just booked a Carnival Cruise and there's a $5 fuel surcharge for every day of the trip. There's a cap on how much they can charge you but I can't remember what it was.

 

[tbrenk73]

Is the fuel surcharge something new the airlines are charging this year? I just booked my first flight of 2008 and there is a $20 fuel surcharge per ticket. That's insane! They already raised ticket prices this year. Now they are adding these hidden fees to drive up the price even further!

I just booked a flight for August on Continental and there is no fuel charge.

 

[cbrfan]

I've booked several flights the past few months for myself and others and haven't seen any fuel surcharges. Nor were we charged when we got to the airport. I can understand assessing the charges for fuel when prices have gone so skyhigh. But from what I've read on these boards it seems some are being charged while others aren't. Just wish they'd be more upfront about it.

 

[bicker]

United Airlines' Contract of Carriage:

SURCHARGES UA RULE: 0395
(A) THE SURCHARGE LISTED BELOW WILL BE ASSESSED FOR EACH FARE
PAYING PASSENGER. THE SURCHARGE APPLIES IN ADDITION TO ALL
OTHER CHARGES AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY DISCOUNT.
(1) ANY POINT IN HAWAII TO ANY POINT IN THE MAINLAND U.S.:
USD 9.30
NOTE: THE FUEL SURCHARGE ABOVE IS ASSESSED ON EACH FARE
COMPONENT AND WILL BE ADDED TO THE APPLICABLE
FARE.
(2) BETWEEN PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S.: USD 15.00 PER
DIRECTION.
(3) BETWEEN VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE U.S.: USD 15.00 PER
DIRECTION AND AN AIRPORT/TERMINAL SURCHARGE
USD 6.50 PER DIRECTION.

Air France's Contract of Carriage:

The taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date of Ticket issuance. If there is an increase in a tax, fee or charge shown on the Ticket, you will have to pay it.

I don't know of a comprehensive list of airlines applying a surcharge. You'll need to consult with your airline to find out if they are applying a surcharge.