U.S. routes to remain unaffected by Qantas Airways fuel hike

Qantas Airways has recently announced it will increase fuel surcharge on flights to select routes. The airline’s announcement will affect Australian travelers booking flights to Europe, Middle East and most parts of Asia. However, the travelers to the United States, South Africa and Chile remain unaffected and will continue to book cheap flights as usual.

The airline in a statement said that the fuel surcharge hike will become effective on flights booked after January 23, 2014. The move of Qantas Airways is aimed at bringing the fees at par with that of its alliance partner Emirates Airline. The airline resorted to fuel surcharge hike in view of the sustained exorbitant fuel prices and a considerably weaker Australian dollar.

According to Qantas Airways, the fuel surcharge on flights to Europe has been increased by 6 percent. The surcharge will now go up to $270 instead of the existing $255 on a one-way Economy Class ticket to Europe. Those traveling in the Business Class to Europe will now have to pay $495 instead of $445 on fuel surcharge to Europe, up 11 percent.
 
The airline, however, said that the fuel surcharges on flights to the United States, South Africa and Chile, as well as trans-Tasman flights will remain unaffected and the travelers on these routes would have access to Cheap Airfares as usual. Qantas Airways said that the latest hike in fuel surcharge is only to match that of its alliance partner Emirates Airline.