VOA附字幕(2012-03-21):Rising Jet Fuel Costs Send Airline Fares Soar

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Global airfares are on the rise just as many travelers are set to begin their Easter and seasonal vacations. The higher cost for an airline ticket is being blamed on rising crude oil and jet fuel prices.

 

Airlines are bracing for a tough year as higher jet fuel prices put a squeeze on profits. In order to recoup higher fuel costs, air carriers are raising ticket prices on travelers, like Brian Blair.

"Airfares, for me, have gone up maybe five to 10 percent in the last few months," said Blair.

Industry analysts say U.S. airfares are up 4 percent this year, while international ticket prices have increased even more.

"We're seeing a lot of $400 plus (and higher) fuel surcharges and it doesn't bode well for the summer (travel season)," said Jeff Klee, who runs a online travel company. He said people will pay higher fares this year because airlines are trying to offset rapidly rising jet fuel prices.

"Every time the price of oil rises by $1, that costs the industry $1.6 billion," said Klee.

Jet fuel is the biggest expense for airlines, accounting for roughly 35 to 40 percent of operating costs. The higher cost to fly comes as seasonal travelers begin heading off to vacation destinations. George Hobica studies airfares and said that, in some cases, airline tickets could be 100 percent higher.

"I think consumers are going to see fares that they haven't seen in years. I think consumers have to re-think what a low airfare is," said Hobica.

Frequent business traveler Ines Lormand is worried about soaring airfares. She recently paid more than $1,000 for a flight from Houston to Detroit.

"The prices will continue to go up and it is going to squeeze my travel budget. Somehow I don't know what we are going to do," she said.

International airline Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong's largest, saw its profits drop 61 percent last year, hurt by high fuel prices and a weakening economy in China.

To try to counter higher fuel costs, more airlines are purchasing new fuel efficient planes and looking at ways to use alternative biofuels to reduce costs.

From:VOA英語網 文章地址: http://www.tingvoa.com/html/20120321/68329.html

所有跟帖： 

• 剛要打算旅遊，Airline Fares又漲價聊。。。 -Pandoras- ♀ (0 bytes) () 03/21/2012 postreply 12:34:13

• $8000 for first rate -走馬讀人- ♂ (0 bytes) () 03/21/2012 postreply 13:54:24

• Oh, you got the number? The ticket prices will be killing me:) -Pandoras- ♀ (128 bytes) () 03/21/2012 postreply 14:05:14

• Thanks for sharing. -EnLearner- ♂ (0 bytes) () 03/21/2012 postreply 19:53:58

• 這年頭什麽都漲 -英語碩士- ♀ (26 bytes) () 03/21/2012 postreply 20:47:35

• You took the word right out of my mouth :)) -sportwoman- ♀ (181 bytes) () 03/22/2012 postreply 04:38:55

• But you can also give yourself a raise -英語碩士- ♀ (367 bytes) () 03/22/2012 postreply 12:24:18

• 大碩士你終於出現了 -sportwoman- ♀ (0 bytes) () 03/22/2012 postreply 13:16:26

• 我喜歡你的文字！Good idea! -sportwoman- ♀ (127 bytes) () 03/22/2012 postreply 15:54:30

• 我的英語差得不能再差了。我很希望 -英語碩士- ♀ (76 bytes) () 03/22/2012 postreply 21:12:38

• 聆聽了，謝Pandoras分享。 -紓珈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 03/22/2012 postreply 06:07:51