€10 Aer Lingus fare hike on US flights

AER LINGUS is to increase its fuel surcharges on transatlantic flights for the second time in a month.

The rises will add €10 to the average cost of a one-way flight to the United States. The increases will come in for all flights booked after June 11th.

Aer Lingus corporate affairs director Enda Corneille said the increase is necessary because the cost of fuel for airlines had risen by 13 per cent from April to May. “The fuel surcharge increases reflect the continuing pressure the high price of oil is having on our long-haul operation,” he said.

The surcharges on flights to New York, Boston and Chicago will increase from €65 to €75, to Orlando from €75 to €85 and to San Francisco and Los Angeles from €90 to €100.

Aer Lingus first applied fuel charges back in May 2006 and since then they have risen eight times, the last time last month. Aer Lingus is struggling with the escalating price of oil, currently at $123 a barrel down from a high of $135 a barrel last month.

Rising costs are being passed on to passengers too through baggage handling charges which are being increased by 33 per cent for bags checked in online (from €9 to €12) and by 50 per cent for bags checked in at the airport (from €12 to €18 a bag).

Consumers’ Association of Ireland chief executive Dermot Jewell noted that Aer Lingus are increasing their fuel surcharges at a time when the price of oil would appear to have peaked and is now falling.

“I would expect Aer Lingus to make some element of clarity in relation to their commitment to reducing these surcharges as oil prices reduce,” he said. “Other airlines, have not added these fuel surcharges. I would urge passengers to look elsewhere if they are unhappy with these charges.”