British Airways said on Tuesday that it would hike its fuel surcharge on long-haul and short-haul airfares due to soaring oil prices that increase the cost of kerosene or jet fuel.

The price of New York's light, sweet crude oil had struck a record high $119.93 per barrel in trading on Monday.

"British Airways will increase its fuel surcharge on all tickets issued from Friday May 2, 2008. The decision reflects continuing high oil prices," a company statement said.

The surcharge for single-fare longhaul flights of less than nine hours will rise by £10 per flight to £63, BA said. The cost would increase to £126 for return flights.

The surcharge for single-fare longhaul flights of more than nine hours would increase by £15 to £79 per flight. It would jump to £158 for a return fare.

BA added that its short-haul fuel surcharges would be lifted by £3 per flight, or £26 for a return trip.

Last February, it was announced that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic were to pay a combined $200-million in compensation to millions of passengers for previously colluding over fuel surcharges.

In August 2007, BA was slapped with a $300-million criminal fine by a US federal court after it admitted fixing fuel surcharges levied on flights between the United States and Britain. The airline was handed record fines totalling $246-million in Britain for its actions.

AFP