PRICE PAIN
Major airline to raise flight prices as much as £60 – and it affects UK flights
The German airline will also be introducing new flights to Birmingham
A MAJOR airline is set to bump up its flight prices by up to £60 in a bid to cover new EU regulations.
British holidaymakers will be affected as UK routes won't be an exception in the fare hike.
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German carrier Lufthansa will introduce an environmental charge of up to £60 to its fares, reports.
Flight prices will include additional fees of £1 to £60, depending on the ticket type.
Holidaymakers will have to splurge extra when flying from EU countries as well as Britain, Norway and Switzerland.
The increase will be effective as early as Wednesday but will cover flights starting from January 1, 2025, onwards.
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EU regulations force airlines to use more sustainable jet fuel in a bid to reduce emissions, and subsequently, drive up costs.
The German airline said: "The surcharge is intended to cover part of the steadily rising additional costs due to regulatory environmental requirements."
It comes as flight experts have warned travellers that plane tickets will likely skyrocket this summer.
A group of aviation industry leaders have revealed that worldwide inflation and jet fuel costs are significant factors in the price hike.
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The global push for decarbonisation has led to airlines competing for the little amount of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, available on the market.
The hangover from the pandemic is another factor for the expected steep increase in ticket prices, experts claimed.
European airline to launch 'business class style' economy seats without the cost
Airlines have continued to operate older planes, which burn more fuel, for longer periods
In addition, there aren't enough new aircraft to expand routes and keep up with supply to bring the overall prices down.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that global airline revenue is estimated to reach nearly a trillion pounds in 2024, a record high.
A whopping 4.96 billion travellers are expected to fly this year with total expenses for airlines reaching a record high of £736billion.
Earlier this year, Lufthansa has launched a new airline with routes across Europe, including Hanover, Düsseldorf, Bordeaux and Birmingham.
Holidaymakers in Birmingham will be able to fly directly to Munich when the new route takes to the skies tomorrow.
It comes after the German carrier scrapped all of its flights to a popular UK airport in February.
Lufthansa only started running flights between Liverpool's John Lennon Airport and Frankfurt in May 2022.
However, the route was scrapped, despite an increase in the number of flights between the two airports in the summer of 2023.
Meanwhile, Lufthansa will also be introducing "business class style" economy seats without the hefty price tag.
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According to online travel magazine, , the German airline is set to introduce business class style seats to its premium economy passengers.
The airline's new Allegris cabins will be rolled out on A350 and 787 aircrafts later this year.
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