EU warns airlines against charging extra fuel fees after ticket purchase

The European Union is taking a firm stance against airlines attempting to pass on increased fuel costs to consumers after tickets have been sold. This move by the EU highlights a commitment to protecting passengers from what it deems unfair commercial practices. The bloc's warning, issued by spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, clarifies that while airlines can adjust published fares, adding surcharges post-purchase is not permissible.

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Airlines may adapt their published fares to the situation, but adding a fuel surcharge to a ticket after it has been bought cannot be justified.

The EU's document on the energy crisis affecting aviation explicitly excludes any retroactive price changes. This means airlines cannot unilaterally increase ticket prices based on fluctuating fuel expenses that were not accounted for at the time of booking. The only exception is for package holidays, where a contract may allow for price adjustments up to eight percent under specific conditions, with customers retaining the right to cancel if the increase exceeds this threshold.

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Any retroactive change of the price is excluded.

This directive comes amidst criticism of Spanish low-cost carrier Volotea, which is facing scrutiny in France for imposing fuel surcharges. Despite the investigation, Volotea's France director, Gilles Gosselin, has defended the practice, asserting that its legality has been confirmed by independent legal experts and that the system is transparent and operates in both directions. The EU's intervention aims to bring clarity and fairness to airline pricing, particularly in light of volatile energy markets.

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Airlines may not include terms and conditions which would allow them to increase the price of the ticket above what is advertised at the time of purchase simply because fuel was more expensive than they had accounted for.