United Airlines Inc. is expecting fuel prices to remain at elevated levels over the long term, says the company’s CEO Scott Kirby.
Speaking to reporters in Doha, Qatar, Kirby said that United Airlines will have to foot the bill for $12 billion in fuel in 2022 considering current prices, according to Reuters. In North America, jet fuel price was at $176.13 per barrel as of June 17, data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed. This is 17.2 percent higher when compared to the previous month and a whopping 125.5 percent higher compared to the same time in 2021.
As airline fleets consume large amounts of fuel, even a small change in fuel prices can significantly impact operations. For instance, a Boeing 747 quad jet uses one gallon of fuel per second, meaning that a 5-hour journey will result in the use of 18,000 gallons of fuel, Simple Flying reports….