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Canadians who book with Air Canada Vacations will soon need to pay an extra fee on certain flights starting Monday, April 6. The airline's subsidiary, which offers vacation packages, has notified travel agents about a fuel surcharge it is implementing starting next week. Several travel agents shared details of the notice on Facebook on March 30. "Due to the recent increase in global fuel prices, a fuel surcharge will be introduced across all SUN destinations," reads the notice from Air Canada Vacations. According to the subsidiary, a fixed surcharge of $50 per passenger will be applied to new vacation packages booked as of April 6 that include a flight. The fee will be reflected within the selling taxes and surcharges at the time of booking. Sherri Michell/Facebook Air Canada Vacations noted that existing bookings won't be affected. "We recognize that pricing adjustments can be challenging and remain committed to transparency," reads the notice shared with travel agents. "Fuel is one of the most significant costs in airline operations, and this surcharge helps ensure service reliability." The company has over 55 sun destinations, including vacation packages to popular destinations in Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Book before the surcharge kicks in, advise agents Daily Hive has contacted Air Canada for confirmation on these details. We have also asked the carrier if Canadians can expect a fuel surcharge on all of its flights, including those that aren't a part of a vacation package with its subsidiary. We will update this article when the airline responds. Some travel agents are advising Canadians to take advantage of the days before the $50 fuel surcharge kicks in. "Whether booking a last-minute getaway this spring or an early booking for next winter, consider getting those plans sorted before April 6th to avoid the increase," reads a post from Brett Tabor, who is an agent with Stewart Travel Group. Other airlines charging similar fee Air Canada Vacations isn't the only company adding a fuel charge to some of its flights. Porter Airlines has also implemented an additional fee on certain bookings. This comes after Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, announced in March that he vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed amid the war with the United States. It's a crucial passage way for one-fifth of the world's oil supply, and its shutdown has caused oil prices and, therefore, jet fuel costs to spike. As of Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump is not letting up , saying that the war with Iran won't end until the waterway is reopened. The U.K. is set to host 35 countries, including Canada, for talks on the Strait of Hormuz . In March, Canadian airlines told us how rising jet fuel costs could impact airfare. Air Transat was the first Canadian airline to have a firm response to skyrocketing jet fuel prices. The airline's chief financial officer, Jean-François Pruneau, stated the airline would increase fuel surcharges for Europe during the company's first-quarter earnings call. He added that this would be blended into the total price of flights. Air Canada and WestJet shared similar statements, saying that airfare typically fluctuates and adjusts to reflect higher fuel costs.
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