One issue is that the fares we have sold do not come close to covering this sort of price rise. “What we need is immediate relief from some Government costs, such as Airways [NZ] charges and also CAA [Civil Aviation Authority] levies,” he said. According to Bacon, it’s “seldom the case” that airlines earn a significant profit as a result of high airfare prices. Jet fuel prices were about US$85 ($144) to US$90 per barrel before the conflict but have surged to US$150-US$200 in recent days. However, pricing on unsold seats can move more quickly, as airlines respond to fuel costs as well as supply and demand,” Staples explained.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 10, 2026 04:19 UTC