Holidays, transport is expensive, flights to the top but train costs are down

The summer period has finally come and with it also the desire to travel and enjoy the holidays, but between the increases in the transport sector and the cancellations of flights (whose rates mark an average of + 90%), it is difficult to move with serenity. This is the conclusion of an investigation by Altroconsumo according to which compared to the period before the pandemic and the crisis generated by the conflict in Ukraine, costs continue to increase exponentially: the prices of flights and ferries double, while the costs of trains. Even those who choose to travel long journeys by car to reach the Italian seaside resorts will be forced to deal with the increase, as well as the difference, in prices between petrol and diesel. In this regard, Altroconsumo has for months been committed to monitoring the variability of fuel costs, deeming it necessary to temporarily cancel VAT, through a petition. The surge in fuel costs – caused by a general increase in inflation -, added to the current problems of the sector, they have led to a considerable increase in the prices of airline tickets: according to Istat data, they have increased by 90% compared to last year. Compared to June 2020, however, there was an increase of 64%; in comparison with 2019, before the outbreak of the pandemic, the tariffs still increased by 56%. The most significant increases concern international flights, up 124% compared to 2021; while they increased by 92% compared to 2020. On the contrary, domestic flights recorded a more contained growth, only + 33% compared to 2021. Maritime transport also underwent a significant increase, highlighting a peak of + 21% compared to the year 2020, to then register a small decrease compared to 2021 (+ 19%). Otherwise, the trains travel against the trend, revealing a 10% decrease compared to last year; in comparison with 2020 and 2019, there is a reduction of 5% and 2% respectively. “Pending the increases in motorway tolls (+ 1.5%) estimated for 1 July 2022, but not yet implemented, Italians who choose to reach seaside resorts by car must also deal with the increases in fuels “underlines Altroconsumo who has decided to investigate this issue by conducting a survey on how much is spent compared to past years on 12 motorway sections to sea areas. Starting from the big cities, such as Milan, Rome, Naples, Turin and Florence, the most popular routes for holidaymakers were traveled to Lignano, Rimini, Palinuro, Alassio, Gallipoli, Viareggio and Senigallia. The analyzes were carried out on the basis of an average consumption in liters of petrol and diesel, and the data were later compared with 2020 and 2021. In recent weeks, the cost of fuel has risen over 2 euros per liter, unlike two years ago, when petrol and diesel cost € 1.40 / l and € 1.28 / l respectively. If we consider these data, those who drive a petrol car today would spend 27.7% more for the trip, compared to 2021 and even more than in 2020 (+ 48.2%). For example, for the Milan-Palinuro route, it is expected that a motorist will spend 58 euros more than in 2020 and 88 euros more than two years ago. The cost of diesel grows by 36.9% compared to 2021, but it is the comparison with 2020 that frightens: there is a surge of 58.2%. Even in a short route like Milan-Rimini, 22 euros more will be paid for a diesel refueling than last year and 30 euros more than in 2020. In this difficult context, the question of consumers is the best way to succeed to save, especially on the purchase of summer flights. Altroconsumo suggests carrying out a patient and complete research, not stopping at the price that appears at the beginning. The extra costs that are added in the purchase process can be many and cause the final price of so-called low cost flights to rise considerably. In addition to the cost, it is also necessary to carefully evaluate the timetables that are proposed, if there are stopovers and the waiting hours at the airport: often and willingly the much lower prices correspond to some “inconvenience”. In addition, particular attention should be paid to the choice of baggage: the rules on the weight and size of suitcases are very strict, especially with low cost airlines. If the parameters are not respected, the extras to pay could be quite high, so an alternative could be to consider rail transport, bearing in mind the absolute prices and travel times. In order to concretely support travelers, Altroconsumo has set up a legal assistance service to support users in their related practices.