BRITISH Airways today joined rival carrier Virgin Atlantic in reducing passenger fuel surcharges.

Last night Virgin announced it was cutting charges for its economy and premium economy passengers from midnight tonight. Today, BA said it was reducing surcharges for its economy class (world traveller) and premium economy (world traveller plus) passengers on long-haul flights.

The economy-class changes will mean that the surcharge for long-haul flights of more than nine hours will drop by £13 per flight from £109 to £96.

For long-haul flights of less than nine hours it will drop by £10, from £78 per flight to £68.

For premium economy passengers on long-haul flights under nine hours the charge comes down from £88 to £83, while for flights of more than nine hours it is reduced from £121 to £114.50.

Charges for BA's business-class and first-class passengers remain the same - at £98 per flight on long-haul flights of less than nine hours and £133 for flights of more than nine hours. BA's changes will take effect from midnight tonight.

On Virgin Atlantic, surcharges for economy passengers on shorter sector routes will drop from £78 to £68, while longer-route charges dip from £109 to £96. Premium economy charges on shorter routes drop £5 to £83 and £6.50 to £114.50 on longer routes.

Charges to upper class passengers stay the same - £98 for shorter routes and £133 for long ones.

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