Virgin Blue and V Australia fares increase as fuel surcharge rises

Virgin Blue and V Australia ticket prices are set for another rise on the back of continued increases in global fuel prices.

Domestic and regional fares for Virgin Blue and Pacific Blue flights will increase by up to $10 per sector for all tickets sold from May 6.

International fares for V Australia will rise by $75 each way from Sydney to Los Angeles, reflecting an increase in the fuel surcharge to $240 from the current $165. Surcharges for V Australia's codeshare services with Eithad to Abu Dhabi, Europe and the UK will remain the same.

The rise comes on the back of a previous jump in March, which also saw Virgin Blue fares increase by up to $10 while $50 was added to the cost of V Australia flights between Sydney and Los Angeles.

This means the cost of each Virgin Blue flight has risen by up to $20, and V Australia flight to the US by $125, in the past six weeks.

The March increases followed Virgin Blue doubling some of its baggage charges to help recoup rising fuel costs.

These price hikes will go "some way to addressing the latest rises in global fuel prices" says Virgin Blue Group CEO John Borghetti said, "however they will not recover the full cost. In making these changes, we have been very conscious of balancing our commitment to providing competitive fares with the operational costs of our business."

Virgin Blue is not alone in fuel-driven increases in airfares – also affected have been Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Qantas (twice, in fact, first on February 11 and again on March 9).

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.