Budget airline Easyjet has increased its booking charges from £5.50 to £8. The move means passengers in the UK booking with a debit card must pay £8 per booking, while those paying with a credit card will pay at least £12.95.
The credit card fee is calculated by adding £4.95 or 2.5% of the total cost of the booking, whichever is greater, to the £8 booking fee.
Andrew McConnell, Easyjet’s corporate affairs manager, said the airline was increasing the fees to cover a rise in its own costs.
“The booking fee covers a range of activities and easyJet has experienced significant cost increases in a number of those areas,” he said.
“Easyjet is transparent about its card charges, splitting out the different costs in the booking process so that people can see the low fare for the flight and the different options for how to purchase the ticket.”
In the airline’s defence, McConnell also pointed out that the fee is per booking rather than per passenger, as some of its competitors charge.
He said: “Easyjet’s booking fee remains one of the cheapest across the airline industry – with other airlines charging per person per flight so that a family of four would be charged £48 rather than the £8 they would pay on easyJet.”
Last year Easyjet charged less than half of the current booking fee – in September 2010 the figure stood at £3.50.
There is no additional charge for passengers paying by Visa Electron.
For more information visit easyjet.com.
Report by Sara Turner
