CAIR service charge from June 1

…another CYP 2.5 fuel surcharge imposed

Cyprus Airways (CAIR) confirmed an exclusive Financial Mirror report by announcing the introduction of a new service charge that will add between CYP 10 and CYP 40 to the cost of an air ticket from June 1.

Air travelers will also see their total costs go up by an additional CYP 2.5 per ticket for the fuel surcharge.

For flights to Greece and the Middle East, the service charge will be CYP 10. From Cyprus to Europe, the Gulf and Saudi Arabia the service charge will be CYP 20 while on long-haul destinations such as the US, Canada, Africa, Australia and the Far East the service charge will be CYP 40.

According to Financial Mirror sources, CAIR will maintain the service charge at its sales offices and the same charges will also be applied by travel agents.

The Chairman of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents (ACTA) Akis Kelepeshis had earlier told the Financial Mirror that ACTA welcomes the service charge since it will bring additional transparency to the airline market. ACTA says it is standard practice in European countries and is imposed by airlines and travel agents.

The new service fee will not be included in the advertised air fare, so travel agents are advising customers to take into account that the new service charge comes on top of airport taxes and fuel surcharges, all of which can add a significant amount to what can appear to be a bargain price.

For a person traveling to Athens, the most popular destination, the airline ticket may cost CYP 45-55 return while the total airport and fuel surcharge is now CYP 49.5, which when added to the CYP 10 service charge, makes the other charges more expensive than the actual ticket.

For CAIR, the introduction of the service charge is very profitable since

it is simultaneously cancelling the long-time practice of giving 7% commission on fares to travel agents.