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(CNN) -- With oil prices at a 13-year high above $40 a barrel, a number of airlines have already increased ticket prices.
And this may not be the end of fee hikes for business and first class air travelers.
Middle East tensions and strong global demand -- particularly in the U.S. and China -- has led to a price rise for jet fuel of almost 60 per cent, compared to a year ago.
Those airlines that have not yet implemented surcharges say that if oil prices continue to rise then they too will have to review ticket prices.
"I would say strong oil prices are here for the balance of the year," James Hughes-Hallett, chairman of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways, told reporters after the airline's annual general meeting.
According to the American Express Airfare Index, airfares have remained stable in the last few months. But the company predicts sizable increases in front-of-the-plane airfares over the next six months.
"It will be interesting to ... see how the ongoing pressure from fuel pricing, the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, the introduction of bed products and subsequent reduction in business class seats impacts on airfare pricing," said Kyle Davis of American Express.
The new fuel surcharge is appearing on some air tickets as a separate item, and airlines have said that this figure may be adjusted up or down depending on the jet fuel prices.
For all carriers, fuel accounts for a significant amount of operating costs. And the recent fuel price hikes come just at a time when many airlines are showing growth in first quarter passenger numbers.
The UK Air Users' Council has announced that air travelers are not immune to oil fluctuations, which are already pushing up costs for motorists and consumers.
Some airlines, including no-frills carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair, have absorbed oil price hikes into their operating costs and not increased ticket prices.
But big full-service carrier such as British Airways and Qantas have announced oil-related surcharges. (Full story)
"I am not sure about having a flat-rate rise for all flights, but if British Airways have got it wrong, they will be clobbered by the competition," Simon Evans, the chief executive of the Air Users' Council, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
In the Asia-Pacific, economy fares could remain stable as low cost carriers continue to build their presence in the region, predicts Davis.
