Flybe introduces fuel surcharge
Flybe has introduced a fuel surcharge of £3 per passenger for bookings made from today for flights on or after 1 September 2011.
It has promised the surcharge will be removed should the price of Brent crude return to below $75 per barrel for a consecutive period of 28 days.
The airline announced the new charge in a trading statement, which outlined a fall in leisure traffic.
“Whilst 45% of Flybe’s passengers fly on business (and this sector has proved very resilient), the slowdown in consumer retail spending in the UK had an impact on discretionary-spend passenger volumes (ie those travelling for leisure or visiting friends and relatives) in February and March 2011,†said the statement.
Flybe estimated that underlying profit before tax and one-off items for the year ended 31 March 2011 will be around £22 million.
“This result is in line with the board’s expectations for the year and represents a strong performance in view of the challenging economic conditions in the final quarter,†it added.
Looking ahead, it said: “The market in the UK remains challenging and the group is continuing to focus on improving operating efficiency to increase yields whilst maintaining seat capacity at similar levels to the 2010/2011 year.
“At 3 May 2011, forward ticket sales revenue for the summer 2011 season was ahead year-on-year by 5.4%.â€
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025