El Al hikes ticket prices
A rise in international oil prices forces El Al to hike up ticket fees, a spokesman says; Round-trip flight to North America now USD 16 more
TEL AVIV - Israel's El Al airlines will hike up its ticket prices in June as a result of the rising oil prices around the world, a spokesman said on Monday.
Israeli passengers flying out of Tel Aviv will therefore be required to pay additional fees of USD 16 on a round trip to north America, South America and the Far East. Tickets to eastern Europe will be raised USD 6 both ways and USD 4 will be tacked onto round trips to Cyprus, Egypt, Bulgaria, Turkey, Athens, Budapest and the Czech Republic.
Yoav Levy, vice president of commercial and aviation ties at El Al, said a booming international oil price had forced the ticket price hike. A barrel currently costs USD 56.5.
"The assumption is that oil prices will continue to rise and will reach USD 60 a barrel," he said. "Until now we have not made frequent changes as a result of the changing price and now we will be stricter. I predict there will be a need to change the price again in the next few months, but I don't we will have to."
Changes from June 12
Changes to El Al ticket prices will be made starting from June 12 and will include all passengers except infants under the age of 2. Sources in travel agencies in Israel said El Al's ticket price hike was likely to cause other airlines to raise their fees as well.
Prior to the change, a round-trip El Al ticket from Tel Aviv to New York during the peak summer season costs about USD 1,400, while a two-way trip to London amounts to about USD 850.
