By THE ALASKA STORY
March 16, 2026 – Passengers flying with Alaska Seaplanes and using Island Air Express around Southeast Alaska will soon see a temporary increase in ticket prices after the regional airline operator announced a new fuel surcharge tied to rising global energy costs.
In a memo to customers dated March 16, Alaska Seaplanes President Jodi Garza said the company’s fuel costs jumped 38 percent on March 9, attributing the spike to instability stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“Unfortunately, we can’t bear the full impact of this increase without any effect on our pricing,” Garza wrote.
Beginning Friday, March 20, the airline will add a 6% temporary fuel surcharge to fares. The surcharge will apply to flights operated by both Alaska Seaplanes and its sister carrier, Island Air Express.
Garza emphasized that the surcharge is intended to be temporary and will be removed once fuel prices stabilize.
“We regret the need to take this step and want our customers to know that we are committed to keeping this surcharge in place only as long as necessary,” she wrote.
The company also noted that customers have a short window to avoid the added cost. Because the surcharge does not take effect until March 20, travelers booking flights before that date can secure tickets without the additional 6 percent charge.
Alaska Seaplanes and Island Air Express operate a network of small aircraft serving Southeast Alaska communities, including routes connecting Juneau with island and coastal towns where air travel is often the primary form of transportation.
Despite the surcharge, the company said it will continue offering promotional fares and encouraging customers to participate in its Higher Flyer Rewards Program, which allows travelers to earn points for flights and redeem them for free trips.
Garza said the airline’s goal remains to keep fares as stable as possible while navigating volatile fuel markets.
“We will continue to work diligently to keep fares steady,” she wrote. “As soon as conditions allow, we will reduce or eliminate the fuel surcharge.”
The surcharge reflects how global energy shocks can ripple quickly through Alaska’s transportation system, where airlines serving remote communities rely heavily on aviation fuel and have few alternatives when prices spike.
3 thoughts on “Alaska Seaplanes, Island Air Express to add temporary fuel surcharge after sharp spike in fuel costs”
Fuel prices skyrocketing. Trump bluffed and lost (but he was properly warned). He’s way out of his depth. Tariffs all around (when do we all get our money back, by the way?). Our staunchest Allies insulted and threatened (no wonder they won’t help Trump now – “You made the Gulf mess, you clean it up.”). Prices on everything going up. Our soldiers dying overseas. Kennedy Center closing. Russia getting billions in additional oil revenue which will be used to kill off Ukraine. The Middle East aflame. Even Dubai unsafe. Americans being shot to death by ICE in our streets. Concentration camps springing up in many cities. Americans pitted one against the other. Indecency and incivility have become normalized. Farmers going bankrupt due to tariffs and higher fuel and fertilizer costs. And on and on. What a pestilence this bloated orange obscenity has brought upon us all. Will the missiles remain in their silos for the remaining 1040 days? Maybe when they launch, the hardcore MAGAs will finally admit that they made a mistake, however I wouldn’t give you more than even odds.
Do you regret your vote for him yet? Tell the truth – we know you do.
Thankfully, there is a BLUE WAVE headed our way in a few months. Maybe that will help – just a little.
Depressing but needed summary of the greatest threat to America since forever. Thanks, I guess. Here’s something poached from a commenter from another website explaining what isn’t explained about Trump’s WWIII:
We’ve won the war!
The excursion isn’t finished yet.
We’ll be out in two weeks.
This might take a while.
It’s not a war.
Wars take time.
Iran’s military might is completely decimated.
Iran is able to plant mines in the Strait of Hormuz and we need our allies to help.
Our allies suck.
We’ll leave when the regime has capitulated and is out of power.
We’re fine with the regime staying in power as long as they don’t build nukes.
Iran’s nuclear capacity has been eliminated forever! (Last summer).
Iran was days away from firing a nuclear missile at us.
We decided to do this on very short notice and didn’t have time to ask congress for approval.
We’ve been planning this with Israel for months.
No, Israel doesn’t determine our foreign policy for us.
We’re working closely with Israel and Netanyahu has been involved every step of the way.
This war will not create regional instability and involve neighboring countries.
Neighboring countries need to step up and help. They’ve been under attack.
Oil prices are plummeting.
Higher oil prices are a small cost to pay for freedom.
There will be no US casualties.
People die in a war (which this isn’t).
I attended the dignified transfer of bodies in a hat, which was dignified.
I’m fundraising off of the dignified transfer, which is completely dignified.
I didn’t wear a hat to Charlie Kirk’s memorial because that would be undignified.
We’ve won the war that we’re still fighting.
This is all the fault of Obama and Biden.
I’ve done the precise opposite of what MAGA said they voted for, and anyone who doesn’t go along with me isn’t MAGA because only I am MAGA and real MAGA knows this.
Epstein has been vanquished.
According to flightaware in Juneau avgas is about 13% more expensive than it was in January or February and Jet A is about 16%. While I won’t begrudge a private company offsetting their costs, using it for political reason or to drive hysteria is intolerable…and it’s clear that some people^^^ are completely hysterical.