Travel agencies starting to impose surcharge on package deals over high fuel prices

Travelers who booked a package holiday can start to expect surcharges from their tour operator due to the Iran war driving up fuel prices. It is not happening on a large scale yet, or travellers are accepting the extra costs without complaint, but more companies are looking at their options to pass on the unexpectedly higher fuel costs to customers, Trouw reports.

Bolderman Reizen from Veenendaal already charged a surcharge of €2.50 per person per day on top of the ticket price for a recent bus trip to Paris. The company explained that the increased fuel costs compelled it to charge the surcharge in an email to passengers. Most accepted the increase, Jorrit Boelhouwer of the travel organization told Trouw.

The travel organization usually sets the price for the upcoming season every year in October, and sticks to it for the entire season. “But now our partners are looking to see if they can pass on the rising fuel costs to us,” Boelhouwer said. “We see if we can absorb those extra costs ourselves, but at a certain point it is no longer possible without jeopardizing operations.” So Bolderman Reizen asked travelers to pay extra.

Trouw also spoke to TUI and Sunweb, who are not yet charging fuel surcharges. They believe they can absorb the rising costs in other ways for the time being.

Travel providers are allowed to impose surcharges on package deals under certain rules. Among other things, they must clearly state in their terms and conditions that a surcharge may be imposed for rising fuel prices or tax increases, for example. There are also EU rules that apply. If prices rise by over 8 percent, the traveler has the right to cancel the trip free of charge, a spokesperson for the Consumentenbond explained to the newspaper. Companies must also announce the surcharge no more than 20 days before departure and clearly explain how the price increase came about.

Companies are not allowed to charge an additional fuel surcharge for separately booked tickets, outside of package deals. But that does not mean that these travelers are guaranteed not to incur extra costs. According to Paul Vaneker of the travellers’ advocacy organization EU Claim, some foreign airlines are choosing to cancel flights. “Passengers then often opt for a refund and subsequently have to buy a new, more expensive ticket.”

According to Vaneker, kerosene can make up approximately 50 percent of the ticket price. According to the Consumentenbond, about 20 to 30 percent of an airline’s total operating costs go towards kerosene.

The Consumentenbond has not yet received any complaints about fuel surcharges, but advises travellers with single tickets to opt to rebook a canceled flight, instead of requesting a refund.