LONDON - British Airways, Europe's third-largest airline, said on Thursday it would raise fuel surcharges on long-haul tickets sold in Britain, to compensate for rising oil prices.
BA said in a statement it would increase the levy on long-haul tickets to 30 pounds ($55.13) per flight, up from 24 pounds per flight previously.
Fuel surcharges on short-haul flights were unchanged. The airline said it was not changing its revenue guidance for the year despite higher oil prices.
"Our fuel costs remain a real burden. The price of oil hit a record high of just over $70 a barrel in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," BA's commercial director, Martin George, said in a statement.
The move follows a decision by Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways on Tuesday to raise its fuel surcharges on tickets sold in Britain to 30 pounds per flight.
Other major European carriers are expected to follow the BA move.
BA introduced a 2.50 pound surcharge in May 2004 for both long-haul and short-haul flights, and the charges have since risen in several steps as the price of oil has moved higher. The last levy increase was in June this year.
The airline said on Monday current oil prices were too volatile to make predictions about its fuel bill for the year. However, it maintained earlier guidance for annual revenues to come in 5.5-6.5 percent higher this year.
The surcharge will apply to tickets issued from Monday.
BA shares were trading 0.7 percent weaker at 287-3/4 pence at 0816 GMT.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
