Faced with “a sharp increase in the price of kerosene of more than 15%”, the company Air Caraïbes indicated in a press release that it was increasing the price of its tickets, ranging from 3 to 30 euros.
In this press release released Thursday evening, the company highlighted “the increase, with retroactive effect to June 3, of around 15% in the price of kerosene in all the French departments of the West Indies”.
This decision by the Société anonyme de raffinerie des Antilles (Sara) and the French authorities was made “without serious consultation with the airlines – even though kerosene prices are already significantly higher in Martinique, Guadeloupe or Guyana than in the rest of the Caribbean arc”, deplore the company and the Fnam (National Federation of Aviation and its trades).
30 euros on long-haul flights
“Air Caraïbes, for reasons of economic survival, is forced to increase its fuel surcharge per one-way trip by 3 euros on its regional network and 30 euros on long-haul flights”, concluded the company. , adding however that “all customers who have already purchased their tickets will be able to travel at the price fixed at the time of purchase”.
On Wednesday, Sara had replied to Fnam, by means of a press release, that “if the price of kerosene (included in the rules for calculating fuel prices overseas) did not increase, this would mechanically cause an additional increase in prices at the pump, affecting all consumers, including those who do not take the plane”. She specified that “two information meetings were held on May 30 and 31, 2022 under the aegis of the prefecture of Martinique”.
This announcement of the increase in fuel prices comes on the eve of the summer holidays, “peak period during which families, students, and all holidaymakers traveling for personal reasons will traditionally travel” still deplores the Fnam. The federation asks the government for the “cancellation of this decision” and says it is “ready to take legal steps aimed at clarifying the compatibility with competition law of this decision to increase the share of an actor in a dominant position. “.