What will happen to airlines when the cost of fuel keeps rising?

Question

I read an article about the cost of flights doubling and in some cases, tripling since last year. What will airlines do when the the cost of jet fuel rises so high, nobody will travel?

Will they cut back on flights?

Can they switch to an alternate fuel source. such as an electric motor?

I also thought about European airlines. I know the cost of fuel is much higher there, so how do they cope with it?

Answer 1

Ticket prices will be rising soon. Most airlines already have fuel surcharges and are charging more for luggage. FLights on some routes have been reduced or dropped completely.

Fuel prices are actually falling rapidly at the moment.

There are bio fuels but it's a gimmick because there isn't enough capacity. As for other power sources, currently there is nothing out there with enough power.

Finally, most airlines planned ahead and bought at prices which protected them for some months but many are in deep trouble and some will go bust.

Answer 2

Flying will only be for the rich and business travelers and the poor folks will be back on the bus or the train.  It's already starting to happen.  As oil prices go higher you will hear more and more about how Greyhound and Amtrak can't handle the influx of passengers.  The airline industry needs to be re-regulated and subsidized.  The Sunset limited passenger train from Fla. to Cal. is so heavily subsidized that it would be cheaper to buy each passenger a first class air ticket.  Any country with a dynamic economy needs a good air travel system that can be depended upon.  The airlines might try to go to alternative fuels but the price will never be low enough to make a difference.  

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Answer 3

Will be riding on eagles to get  across country.

Answer 4

electric isn't an option for turbine/jet

look for airlines to raise prices and make a buck anyway they can.

fuel prices have stabilized for now though.

Answer 5

As already said, first, the cost of ticket will be skyrocketing...some companies will shut down.

Other will be empowered....flying will become increasingly expensive (less flights->less income -> more expensive flight/hour)

Then we will switch to a new fuel (USAF is currently experiencing synthetic fuel in the B-52s & B-1B, and, still USAF is playing with the idea of powering an aircraft with cryogenic fuel, ie hydrogen)

Then everything will begin like before...history is repeating itself.

Answer 6

you cant use electronic in a ****** plane but they will just cut back alot or shutdown

i kno a couple who were goin to hawaii and then the company went out of business

and they lost all there money

Answer 7

nuclear power planes.

Answer 8

They will manage. Some will go out of business. Some will prosper.

When enough companies go out of business, then the companies left over will start to charge more to cope.

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Airliners cannot use electric motors.  They just do NOT have enough power.

Good Luck...

Answer 9

wooow thats crazy!

...your cute :-) lol

Answer 10

They will be taking more money off about you..

Answer 11

Keep cutting capacity until the remaining travelers are willing to pay the cost.

There is no viable alternative fuel on the horizon -- the technology hasn't been invented yet.

The equipment required to generate and/or store enough electricity to fly an airliner is too heavy to lift itself off the ground.

Answer 12

Some will cut costs...like Emirates Airlines who has removed all in-flight paper magazines to make the plane lighter and burn less fuel

Some will shift to using higher capacity planes and opt to carry more people in less flights

Others will go bankrupt, while most will buy newer, more efficient planes.

Answer 13

hmm good question i realy dont know well probably travel on solar powered train or boats

Answer 14

fewer airlines, fewer seats higher ticket prices. i like these easy ones.

Answer 15

"What will airlines do when the the cost of jet fuel rises so high, nobody will travel?"

Simple....the airlines shut down. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

If people need to fly, they will pay whatever it costs. Like any other company, airlines will just pass the cost down to you. Will they move to a new kind of fuel? Maybe. Before we had cars, people were using horses as transportation.