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A Spanish budget airline named Volotea is sparking flight passengers’ anger after reportedly asking them to pay extra charges for fuel after their tickets have already been purchased.
At first glance, the added charge — which will be $8 to $11 per passenger, per the “Simple Flying” aviation blog — does not sound high.
But travelers are concerned the fee could herald higher prices for additional airlines as fuel prices continue to skyrocket.
The airline has a clause similar to clauses on some cruise lines — which allows the company to tack on charges based on the cost of oil. Volotea refers to the rule as its “Fair Travel Promise.”
When a traveler purchases a ticket, there is a warning that an extra charge may be imposed around seven days before departure if the price of oil has increased, according to multiple reports.
“In the event of extraordinary variations in fuel prices affecting international energy markets, Volotea may apply a limited and temporary adjustment to the ticket price prior to the scheduled departure of the flight,” the company’s website says.
“The exact amount of any such adjustment will be communicated to passengers prior to departure, once the applicable fuel cost variation has been determined,” the website also says.
“Such adjustments will only apply to passengers who have been informed of this possibility during the booking process, allowing them to make an informed decision before completing their purchase,” the website adds.
Since news broke of the company’s extra charges, travelers have been reacting online.
“Pity to see a funky airline like Volotea resort to such a gritty survival instinct. I understand the ‘why’ behind the fuel costs, but charging for already booked seats is a bold move that risks a lot of goodwill,” one reader wrote on the blog “Simple Flying.”
“A loophole in the conditions of carriage allows them to do this? Who ever reads the conditions of carriage?” a second reader added.
A third commenter disagreed, saying, “Airlines could, of course, just cancel flights, as some apparently already have. Next thing, there’ll be a shortage of seats, and guess what — prices will really rise.”
The same person also wrote, “$10 seems a small price to keep flights operating as normally as possible.”
The much bigger concern is that Volotea’s surcharge could be a sign of things to come.
Popular travel guide The Points Guy recommended that people not wait to book flights.
“If you’re planning to fly this summer, go ahead and lock in your airfare now,” The Points Guy wrote.
“As experts noted, prices could surge any day now. That’s especially true if you’re hoping to fly in June or July, which in recent years have been the busiest and most expensive months of the summer to travel.”
