British Airways is to increase its longhaul fuel surcharge with effect from Wednesday May 2, 2007, as a result of recent trends in the price of oil.

The fuel surcharge on longhaul flights of less than nine hours will rise from 30 pounds per sector (60 pounds return) to 33 pounds (66 pounds return) and from 35 pounds per sector to 38 pounds (76 return pounds) on flights longer than nine hours.

The shorthaul fuel surcharge remains unchanged at 8 pounds per sector (16 pounds return).

Robert Boyle, British Airways' commercial director, said: "The latest increase in the longhaul fuel surcharge is regrettable."

"The cost of fuel has risen significantly in recent weeks. Unfortunately, we have little choice but to pass on some of this extra cost to our customers."

"Fuel continues to be our second largest cost and we expect our fuel bill for the year 2007/2008 to be more than 2 billion pounds."

"The price of oil continues to be extremely volatile. Therefore, we believe the fuel surcharge continues to be the most transparent way for our customers to understand what they are paying and allows us to adjust the direct cost to our customers appropriately, whether that is increasing or reducing the fuel surcharge as we did on some of our longhaul flights in January."

British Airways will also increase its fuel surcharges by similar levels in markets outside the UK.