Fuel fees pump up airfares

Surcharges are almost half the price of some international tickets.

Flying to Tokyo this spring? United Airlines last week offered a round-trip flight for as little as $400 — plus $300 in fuel charges.

With oil prices high, fuel surcharges on many international flights have climbed in recent months to nearly half the price of a ticket. U.S. visitors to Spain can expect to pay up to $390 in fuel surcharges for a round-trip flight. Air New Zealand imposes up to $360 in fuel fees.


There doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight as fares surge with the price of fuel.

“It’s getting out of hand,” said passenger Don Roberts, a Studio City resident, as he waited to board a Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo at Los Angeles International Airport last week. The carrier earlier this month raised the fuel surcharge to $282, up from $50 last year, on a round-trip ticket.

LA Times