British Airways increased the fuel surcharge it levies on long-haul travel last Friday, April 8. There was no increase in the fuel surcharge on domestic and short-haul flights.

The surcharge on long-haul non-premium tickets will rise by 10 pounds per sector and on premium tickets by 20 pounds per sector.

This means that World Traveller (economy) flights under nine hours will increase from 75 pounds a sector to 85 pounds and flights in excess of nine hours will increase from 88 pounds a sector to 98 pounds.

World Traveller Plus (premium economy) flights under nine hours will increase from 85 pounds to 95 pounds a sector and flights of more than nine hours will increase from 106.50 pounds a sector to 116.50 pounds.

First and Club World flights under nine hours will increase from 105 pounds per sector to 125 pounds. On flights of more than nine hours there will be an increase from 125 pounds per sector to 145 pounds.

Nick Swift, British Airways' chief financial officer, said: "It's with real regret that we are having to increase our long-haul fuel surcharge. As customers will know from the price at the petrol pumps, the cost of fuel has continued to rise significantly over the past three months. For us, fuel now represents over one third of our costs and particularly affects our long-haul flights. We are very aware of the wider economic pressures on our customers at the moment and we will bear the vast majority of the recent fuel price rise ourselves to keep this increase in surcharge to a minimum."