If you think airlines are using high fuel costs as an excuse to jack up their prices without bothering to tell anyone — well, you’re right. As a travel agent, I see airlines trying to double their fares with clever energy surcharges every day.
And it’s getting worse. Here are the five most ridiculous airfares I found on my reservation system yesterday:
1. Chicago to Sioux Falls — a distance of 462 air miles — is advertised at $79 each way. But add fuel surcharge of $60 per segment, and taxes, and the roundtrip fare is $304.
2. Washington to London is priced at $174 each way. Factor in the airline’s fuel surcharge of $151 each way, and taxes, and the total roundtrip fare comes to $823.
3. Here’s an infant airfare from Dallas to Paris. For children under two, you don’t get a seat, but the child just pays taxes and yes, a fuel surcharge. It comes to $62 each way. Total roundtrip with fuel and taxes: $510.80. Even for a 10-pound baby.
4. How about Europe? Don’t they have low fares? Oh yes. Here’s one from Frankfurt to Berlin for just $20. After fuel surcharges and taxes — they definitely have those in Europe — you’re talking $71 one-way.
5. And just when you are getting sympathetic and you figure, okay, they have to charge these ridiculous extra amounts to stay in business due to fuel prices being so high. Here’s the lowest roundtrip airfare from San Francisco to Washington, including all taxes and fees: $261.
Don’t bother looking for it. By the time you read this, it will be gone.
No, these fares don’t have any rhyme or reason.
