Emirates Airlines has increased its fares by up to US$46 for economy and US$166 for business class, blaming “the current volatility of oil prices”.
The surcharges , effective March 1, will vary according to route and ticket class and apply to each one-way ticket, the airline said.
On routes from the UAE to Africa, Europe, the Far East and Australasia, the economy surcharge is AED120 (US$33), while first and business class customers will see an increase of AED500 (US$136).
“Emirates has already incurred substantial costs by absorbing the recent price rises, but the surcharge gives us the ability to respond faster to market conditions, rather than a lengthier process of incorporating them into fares,” said an Emirates spokesman.
Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad Airways has also added a fuel surcharge to its European flights from March 1 to combat the European Union’s new carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS).
