Fuel Fees Raise Heat on Low-Fare Chasers
Posted on: Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 09:00 CDT
By John Welbes, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
May 13--If you're looking for the cheapest airfare, competition still matters from route to route. But fuel surcharges are jacking up prices quickly, and those aren't expected to end anytime soon. Experts say if you're planning to fly this summer and haven't bought tickets yet, do it now.
Sure, there might be fare sales later to fill certain flights. But no airline has done a systemwide fare sale since Christmas, said Tom Parsons, founder of bestfares.com, an air-travel Web site. They've been picky on which flights get discounts, and that won't change soon.
Meanwhile, here's a glance at flights to selected destinations and the components of an airfare:
Minneapolis-St. Paul to London
Northwest Airlines
Leave May 29, return June 5
Total airfare: $1,223.89
Components:
Fuel surcharge: $326, says bestfares.com
U.S. taxes and user fees: $50.80
U.K. ecological tax: $78.88
U.K. arrival/departure tax: $34.71
Passenger facility charge: $4.50
MSP-Los Angeles
Northwest Airlines
Leave May 29, return June 5.
Total airfare: $279
Components:
9/11 security fee: $2.50 per segment
Federal segment fee: $3.20 each way
Federal excise tax: $18
Passenger facility charge: up to $18
If you're trying to avoid fuel surcharges, you can still find that on some competitive routes. On Thursday, Northwest had no fuel surcharge on Twin Cities-Los
Angeles flights, perhaps because of competition from low-cost carrier Sun Country Airlines.
MSP-Chicago O'Hare
Northwest Airlines
21-day advance purchase
Leave July 16, return July 23
Total airfare: $327
Components:
Fuel surcharge: $130, according to bestfares.com
9/11 security fee: $2.50 per segment
Federal segment fee: up to $3.20 each way
Federal excise tax: $21.35
Passenger facility charge: up to $18.
A few weeks ago, when AirTran Airways still flew this route, you could go round-trip to Chicago from MSP for $78. No more. Now, you can fly to Los Angeles for about the same price as going to Chicago. US Airways' fare was $376, while United and American airlines were at $327.
John Welbes can be reached at 651-228-2175
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Source: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.)
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