EU Warns Airlines Against Extra Fuel Fees Post-Purchase

The European Union has issued a warning to airlines regarding the practice of charging customers extra fuel fees after tickets have already been purchased. Anna Kaisa Itkonen, a spokeswoman for the EU, stated that such actions are considered unfair commercial practices.

This warning was made public on a Friday, coinciding with the ongoing energy crisis affecting the aviation sector due to high energy prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The EU has emphasized that airlines cannot retroactively change ticket prices to include fuel surcharges that were not disclosed at the time of purchase.

Itkonen noted that while airlines may have terms and conditions allowing for price increases, they cannot exceed the advertised fare at the time of booking. Spanish low-cost carrier Volotea has criticized the French investigation into fuel surcharges, with Gill Gosselin, the airline's director in France, defending the legality of their measures.

Gosselin stated that three independent law firms specializing in air transport consumer law have confirmed the legality of their temporary measures.