Air Canada doubles surcharge Last Updated Thu, 04 Apr 2002 17:01:22 MONTREAL - Canadian air travellers will have to contend with extra costs =97= =20 again. Air Canada says it will boost its fuel surcharge from $7.50 one way= =20 to $15 in response to rising fuel prices. The carrier first introduced a=20 surcharge of $15 last May in response to ballooning fuel costs. But as=20 prices fell, the airline chopped the surcharge to $7.50 in November=20 2001. In the U.S., the average domestic surcharge is $18.60 U.S. for one=20 way flights. Unlike Air Canada, American carriers have kept that price=20 since it was implemented in 2000. In a news release, Air Canada said it=20 "will continue to closely monitor jet fuel prices and will adjust the=20 surcharge accordingly." Airlines aren't required to justify their=20 surcharges unless it is on a route in which they have a monopoly. The=20 Canadian Association of Airline Passengers is lobbying the federal=20 government to change that. It wants surcharges to be subject to government= =20 approval. The CAAP is also demanding a regular public review of pricing=20 and quality of service in the airline industry. Travellers are getting a=20 double whammy of sorts. On April 1, the federal government introduced an=20 airport security fee of $12 for each one-way flight. The fee is expected to raise $2.2 billion over five years to pay for the=20 cost of a new airport security authority. Written by CBC News Online staff The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBSC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeansocabrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (DMPI) http://www.paninstitute.com/ (Diego Martin Pan Institute) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************