<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by keithguy:
The cost of fuel is calculated only for a one hour trip, however the fuel surcharge is equal for all domestic Canada markets.
The person flying YVR-YYC pays the same $25 fuel surcharge as the person flying YVR-YUL who pays the same as the person flying YYJ-YVR-YYC-YYZ-YOW-YUL-YHZ.
Obviously, the fuel costs would be very different in those three scenarios.
The cost of fuel to AC can't be calculated by taking a single case. I am not saying I think the fuel surcharge is 'fair', just saying that this kind of comparison is flawed.</font>
Keithguy, you posted while I was typing, but you are correct.
Lets use a A321 (same engines)CFM56-5
In the case of a 5 hr transcon, fuel burn would be in the neighborhood of 18-20000 lbs of fuel.(MAX fuel is 23,700)
19,000 x.4cents = 7600 dollars
70% load of 166 = 116 people
116 people X 25 = 2900 dollars.
Almost half the fuel cost recovered.
Unfortunatly, what proves the point the most is the fact they removed the fuel surcharge on the Pacific flights. They are the type of flight where $25 is a surcharge on a $2000 ticket for 10 hrs of flying. They use this SURCHARGE as a means of revenue, not fuel cost recovery.
That is my point.