Justification For Westjet To Charge $40 Each Way ?

[wee-haggis]

I wonder about the justification in Westjet charging $40 extra each way for a fuel surcharge.
If Westjet (are like any other major airline) they lock in their fuel prices for X number of months or years.I know its at $1-25/L right now.....but has it increased by this much to justify such a large surcharge ?
...$80 extra on a return trip.???...that seems a bit greedy and excessive.

 

[Luhts]

I wonder about the justification in Westjet charging $40 extra each way for a fuel surcharge.
...$80 extra on a return trip.???...that seems a bit greedy and excessive.

They're a Canadian Airline, aren't they? Arrrr!

 

[drag n' fly]

AC is doing the same. Greedy maybe but a reality of what's to come. US carriers are to follow. Food, oil, gas etc! Even DCL is charging a 8 dollar per person per day fuel surcharge up to 200

 

[lisalonglash]

Here's WestJet's pricing:

All fares are subject to a fuel surcharge on one-way flights:

Travel distance Fuel surcharge
Short – 300 miles or less $20 one way
Medium – 301-1000 miles $30 one way
Long – 1001 miles $45 one way

Air Canada's info:

For travel within Canada, the fuel surcharge is either 20 / 30 / or 45 CAD each way based on distance. For travel between Canada and the U.S., the fuel surcharge is 40 CAD/USD each way

Looks like the charges are the same, but our local news (GlobalBC) was reporting that WestJet's charges were lower than AC - doesn't look like it.

 

[charm73]

I have no problem with this at all... we own a small trucking company. 5 years ago, our fuel was about 30% of our gross income. Now it is way over 50%. If we did not charge a fuel surcharge, we would be bankrupt in no time.

 

[wee-haggis]

I have no problem with fuel surcharges....its the extent of it I have a problem .Particularly after seeing this.

 

[bev r.]

This afternoon I was pricing out airfare for London Heathrow and Frankfurt for March 09 Spring Break with Air Canada. The fuel surcharge is almost 50% of the base fare.
London - Base fare $668, fuel charge $360. With the additional charges total price of one ticket is $1178.

Frankfurt - Base fare is $832, fuel charge is $395. With additional charges total price of one ticket is $1311.

 

[wee-haggis]

This afternoon I was pricing out airfare for London Heathrow and Frankfurt for March 09 Spring Break with Air Canada. The fuel surcharge is almost 50% of the base fare.
London - Base fare $668, fuel charge $360. With the additional charges total price of one ticket is $1178.

Frankfurt - Base fare is $832, fuel charge is $395. With additional charges total price of one ticket is $1311.

Thats scandalous !

 

[phabric]

I bought our tickets in Dec with Westjet for our August trip. The ticket price has gone up by $1,300 (for 3) since I bought our tickets.

Will we be charged the fuel charge now.

 

[tgropp]

The problem with flying in Canada is our goverment owned airline Air Canada. Over the years when they get competition, they lower the prices and force the competition to do it also, thus driving the other airlines to huge losses and then bankruptcy. Air Canada can then let the taxpayers dig them out of trouble and away they go with their monoply. Do the names Wardair, Canada 3000, CP Air and countless other airlines that Air Canada has ruined. I had booked a flight to Orlando from Detroit for December 3 months ago for $232.00 flying NWA and it is cheaper to book now. Yet Air Canada will start the gouging prcess.

 

[Disneydaddycanada]

I bought our tickets in Dec with Westjet for our August trip. The ticket price has gone up by $1,300 (for 3) since I bought our tickets.

Will we be charged the fuel charge now.

Is the surcharge on all flights in furture or just the ones that are purchased after the intro of the surcharge?

 

[wee-haggis]

Is the surcharge on all flights in furture or just the ones that are purchased after the intro of the surcharge?

I guess it will last as long as the fuel prices stay up.
Lets see if the surcharge goes down (if/when the fuel prices drop ?)
I just checked Westjets prices for a flight from YYZ to MCO (the exact dates I have booked) and the price for a return is over $760.
This is more than I paid for 4 seats with Jetblue out of BUF !