Virgin Atlantic has introduced a new carbon surcharge on all UK flights. Passengers booking economy tickets will pay an additional £8, whilst those in Premium will face a £12 charge.
Upper-class travellers will see a £24 surcharge added to their fares. The airline says these new fees represent less than one per cent of the average ticket price.
The environmental levy comes as the carrier prepares for new sustainable aircraft fuel usage criteria. Virgin Atlantic uses the extra to satisfy their Net Zero 2050 and UK SAF Mandate goals.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is made from leftover cooking oil and agricultural waste and creates 70% less carbon than standard jet fuel but costs more to produce.
The Telegraph said that Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss confirmed the extra will cover sustainable fuel implementation costs.
He said: “Prices will have to go up to account for the fact that flying with SAF in greater and greater volumes is materially more expensive.”
Virgin Atlantic’s CEO said surcharges were selected over pricing rises to be transparent. “If you do it, you need to do it transparently in the form of something consumers understand,” he said.
Airlines like Lufthansa have announced SAF surcharges of up to $77 per flight until 2025.
