Qantas, Jetstar raise fuel surcharges and carbon pricing charges

By John Walton, February 2 2012
Qantas, Jetstar raise fuel surcharges and carbon pricing charges

Qantas and Jetstar are raising prices in response to higher fuel prices and carbon pricing in Australia and the European Union.

All tickets will see increases in fuel surcharges, with domestic, London and Frankfurt flights being hit by an additional carbon levy.

Qantas Frequent Flyer Classic Award redemptions will also see a 20 percent rise, from $10 to $12.

Here are the charges in full:

Qantas International

All international flights will see fuel surcharges increasing between $20 and $60 from 15 February:

  • Asia/Honolulu: increase of $20 to $165
  • Buenos Aires/Santiago/Johannesburg: increase of $40 to $240
  • USA: increase of $60 to $310
  • London/Frankfurt: increase of $60 to $350

An additional $7 return carbon pricing surcharge will hit London and Frankfurt flights from 15 February.

Qantas and QantasLink domestic fares will see increases that "will average approximately 2.5 per cent" from 9 February.

Qantas has provided examples: a Sydney-Melbourne flight that was $117 will now be $122, while a Brisbane-Melbourne flight will rise from $229 to $235.

In addition, you'll find a one-way carbon surcharge per passenger, per leg of the journey, based on distance:

  • 1-700 km: $1.82
  • 701-1200 km: $2.79
  • 1201-1900 km: $4.00
  • 1900 km+: $6.86

Carbon surcharges will kick in for tickets booked on or after 15 February for travel on or after 1 July.

Jetstar

Jetstar's changes, meanwhile, are simpler: all "lead-in fares" -- the lowest advertised year-round type -- will spike by $10 from 15 February for travel from 1 July, to cover "higher cost inputs including fuel prices and the introduction of the carbon price."

How will the changes affect your travel, if at all? What do you think about the new charges, or about airline fuel/carbon surcharges in general? Share your thoughts with other AusBT readers in the comments section below, or join the conversation on Twitter: we're @AusBT.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.

02 Feb 2012

Total posts 3

The fare incrase is whatever -- that's happening all the time now, on all airlines, it seems.

The carbon tax just means that the carbon offset I never bought because I was too stingy, but always felt guilty about not doing, is compulsory now, as it probably should be (me taking responsibility for my emissions and all that). I don't have a problem with that.


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