What about fuel surcharge ?

[firrech]

Now, I can't understand airlines don't drop fully fuel surcharge.
For 1 month, petrol got same price than 2 years ago when fuel surcharge just started.
So why, for example, Brussels Airlines has still about 25 euros fuel surcharge for a simple european flight?

Doesn't exist a law about that?

Thanks

[HighInTheSky]

Good question.. My guess: they make money with it, so they will keep it as long as they can...

[Vexje]

A lot of airlines have lowered fares over tyhe last two 2 years and added fuelsurcharge. so basically the passengers are still paying the same fares (more or less). On the other hand for airlines it has quite some benefits:
1 no commission to be paid on YQ
2 on domestic markets (not all but some ) YQ is tax exempt (no VAT)
I am sure there are others I can't think of right now...

[Coppelia]

I'm already happy that this fuel surchage "tax" has been cancelled by BruAir since 1st of December for employees travelling on standby basis... On European flights, the price had almost doubled for travelling in B-Light.

[Acid-drop]

As many airlines "edged" their cost for fuel, fuel surcharge was a big joke since the begining.

[HighInTheSky]

I'm already happy that this fuel surchage "tax" has been cancelled by BruAir since 1st of December for employees travelling on standby basis... On European flights, the price had almost doubled for travelling in B-Light.

Indeed... The price for a standby return ticket to NCE or BCN costed almost as much as a standby return ticket in C-class to KGL or NBO...

[tolipanebas]

So just to confirm:
the 12.5 euro/stretch fuel tax for for stby travel in b.light is gone
Good to know, because as usual, no communication whatsoever.

Anyway, as to why airlines are not immediately scrapping all the fuel surcharges:

Most airlines are hedged, meaning they INCREASE fuel surcharges with a delay (when they run out of cheap oil) and they DECREASE them with a delay (when they run out of 'expensive' oil). Most airlines have hedged pretty hefty over the past year following the dramatic rise of oil prices in 2007 and are thus now buying their oil in the price range of 75 to 85 dollars, whereas oil on the market is available around 50 dollars...

So as a customer, you may look at the price of oil on the market and think: "Hey, when oil was at 50 dollars, I was paying no or very little fuel surcharges, yet now oil is back at 50 dollars, yet I am still paying a pretty high fuel surcharge! How unfair!" But don't forget you should be comparing the charges of today to those when oil was at 100 or more dollars on the market (and the airlines where all hedged at 75 to 85 dollars too then, but more to their own liking), because that's what most airlines are still paying for their oil till deap into next year...

Besides, most airlines (including SN) have already reduced the surcharge from its peak.

[Coppelia]

Tolipanebas, yes.

But, if I did well understand, there still is a fuel surchage to pay in B-Flex, which is of 18,5€/stretch. As you say, no official info about this. I was informed by a Union representative some days ago.

[HighInTheSky]

So just to confirm:
the 12.5 euro/stretch fuel tax for for stby travel in b.light is gone
Good to know, because as usual, no communication whatsoever.

Indeed, they've changed it on 27/11, but, as you said, no mail or anything of that kind...

[tolipanebas]

Tolipanebas, yes.
But, if I did well understand, there still is a fuel surchage to pay in B-Flex, which is of 18,5€/stretch. As you say, no official info about this. I was informed by a Union representative some days ago.

That's really weird, but then I really didn't understand why the fuel surcharge for stby travel had to be higher on a b.flex ticket than on a b.light ticket in the first place? I mean, fuel is fuel, right?

But who cares what the fuel surcharge is on a stby b.flex ticket, as long as the stby b.light tickets are just airport taxes only! I've never understood who'd be booking a stby ticket in b.flex anyway? After all: a stby ticket is the most flexible ticket there is by definition...

[Coppelia]

Tolipanebas,

I've been asking myself exactly the same questions, but havent' found the right answers up to now.

Can anyone help ?

[HighInTheSky]

Hmm, extra lugage, the free newspaper, free food, free drinks? I don't know really, were there ever people flying B.flex STBY?

[website-info]

Guys, Guys,

you seem to be confused into thinking the fuel surcharge has something to do with the fuel price

Tony

[LX-LGX]

Doesn't exist a law about that?

Yes, legislation applies. There's even a brand new EU-Regulation about it. However, some use this topic to ridiculize - once again - Brussels Airlines' b-flex/b.light policy. Therefore, it doens't make sense to me to discuss the legislation about fuel surcharges.

(I'm not working for Brussels Airlines - I'm just a client from them)

[fcw]

I am also a customer LX, but BruAir is asking me 158,70€ in taxes and fuelcharge for a FREE ticket to FRA and back,paid with my frequent flyer miles!
So I am intrested in the latest legislation concerning fuel taxes...