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Airlines are prohibited from charging customers extra fuel fees after tickets have been purchased, the European Union announced on Friday, amid challenges faced by the aviation industry due to high energy costs stemming from the Middle East conflict.
“Airlines can adjust their published fares to reflect the current situation, but adding a fuel surcharge after a ticket is bought isn’t justifiable,” EU spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen emphasized during a press briefing in Brussels.
She also noted that any post-booking modifications could potentially violate the EU’s unfair commercial practices regulations.
In an official statement published Friday addressing the energy crisis impact on aviation, the EU clarified that “any retrospective change in the ticket price is not permitted.”
“The European Commission states that airlines cannot incorporate terms allowing them to increase ticket prices beyond the amount initially advertised at purchase due solely to higher fuel prices,” it said.
The only exception applies to package holidays, where the seller explicitly states in the contract that fuel-related cost fluctuations may occur. In such cases, a price increase of up to 8% is permitted; any higher increase grants consumers the right to accept or cancel their reservation.
In France, low-cost carrier Volotea has faced scrutiny and is under investigation after demanding fuel surcharges from passengers, citing the energy shock caused by the war. Gilles Gosselin, the company’s director for France, defended the practice.
“Our system’s legality has been confirmed by three independent legal firms that specialize in airline and consumer law. The process is transparent, temporary, and symmetrical—allowing for adjustments both upward and downward,” Gosselin told AFP in France.
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