Jan. 20, 2000
If you're planning to travel soon, double check your budget.
Some airlines have added an extra $20 onto your fare as a "fuel surcharge."
And on top of that - as News Specialist Scott Light found out - those surcharges and taxes can be even higher, depending on where you're going.
Let's start with the airlines. In fact, the two biggest airlines-- United and American-- will add $20 to your round trip ticket price.
Those two join Continental Airlines, which has already implemented the price hike.
The airlines claim they need the money to offset fuel prices.
Crude oil is at its highest price since the Gulf War.
Continental says the additional hike will be included in advertised prices.
But as we found out, unless you ask for a price breakdown, you don't know what you're paying for.
For example.
Claudia Miller/Murdock Travel: "Taxes will range from $91, $89, $83 to $100 to London or Paris."
Airline taxes and surcharges are many and they're not included in advertised prices.
Here's an inside look at that London plane ticket.
Murdock Travel's Claudia Miller priced an American Airlines flight at $800.
Now add $24 in U.S. taxes, $32 in British taxes, plus other local and state charges of $5, $8, $6, $9 and $3.
Your total cost is now $887.
"Delta will go to Salt Lake to Atlanta and then to London. American will go Salt Lake to Dallas and then to London. Continental will go Houston or Newark. Every one of those cities have a different charge."
We asked Murdock about its own advertisements.
Miller says travel agents can't add up all the charges and taxes until someone calls and asks for specific times, dates and departures.
She says ask about the surcharges.
Also, read the small print in any advertisement.
Depending on where you're going, you could pay an extra $20 to an extra $100 per person per flight.
And yes, the travel agents themselves charge a fee for arranging your airline tickets. We're told the fees range from $10 to $25 per round trip ticket.
