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British Airways strike: cost of holiday air travel surges
March 18, 2010

The walkout by 13,500 cabin crew has created a seat shortage on other airlines and the few tickets which are available are being sold at substantially more than the normal cost. For example the cheapest economy class return ticket quoted to New York by American Airlines on Saturday, the first day of the strike, is £1,344. However according to the airline's website the same trip is available for as little as £259 the following, Tuesday – the day after the first BA stoppage. According to Francesca Ecsery, global sales director of Cheapflights, has said the biggest surge has been on transatlantic routes.

"We are seeing prices from £830 to as high as £3124 return for flights leaving and returning London New York during the strike dates. After Easter in the first week of April these prices tumble back to around £400 return. Its therefore important that consumers do compare fares and if possible be flexible on their travel dates.” The few seats available for Miami on American Airlines on Saturday are also quoted at stratospheric prices, with nothing available for less than £1,000. Virgin Atlantic's fares are also far higher on strike days. Somebody booking a return economy class fare to Los Angeles on Friday, the day before the BA walkout, can get a ticket for only £466.80. No flights are available at all on Saturday and Sunday and the fare quoted by Virgin on Monday is £1,700.80

"We would be disappointed if there was evidence that airlines had been profiteering.," said James Fremantle, spokesman for the Air Transport Users Council. "Obviously there is a law of supply and demand. The threat of a strike has meant that seats are scarce." According to Nikki Davies, marketing manager with Trailfinders, one of Britain's leading travel agents, the BA dispute has meant passengers are facing abnormally high fares this Easter. "A lot of people have not been booking British Airways, because they were worried about the strike," she said. "Instead some of our clients have been switching to other airlines.

"If the BA dispute wasn't going ahead there would potentially be more seats on other airlines and therefore the prices would not be so high." Virgin Atlantic denied it was profiteering from the BA dispute. "The reason for the fares being so high is due to the fact that our flights are very busy over this period. Most passengers had anticipated the BA strike action and had booked with other airlines, therefore there are only a handful of seats left ie the most flexible tickets come at a higher price." An American Airlines spokesman defended the cost of its tickets. “Fare prices, regardless of timeframe or market, are always a direct result of competitive factors in the marketplace as well as supply and demand for seats."

Source :- http://www.telegraph.co.uk