Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Virgin Blue raises fuel surcharges on Pacifc flights

Posted at 22:31 on 02 January, 2008 UTC

The international airline Virgin Blue, which operates Polynesian Blue and Pacific Blue, has announced a jump in its fuel surcharge.

The surcharge on domestic flights will rise from US$16 to US$21 a passenger, adding US$8 to the cost of a return trip ticket.

On international flights operated by Polynesian Blue and Pacific Blue, the fuel surcharge will rise from US$30 to US$39 a flight.

The increases will apply to all flights booked after midnight on 01 February.

Virgin Blue’s, Amanda Bolger, says they have announced the increase early so travellers have time to get in and make bookings at the current surcharge levels.

Ms Bolger says the rise reflected continued increases in world fuel prices since the airline last raised its surcharge in April 2005.

She says the price of jet fuel has risen quite dramatically in that time from $US66.33 a barrel to $US112.60 a barrel.