I have a flight already booked. Can my airline hit me with a fuel surcharge?

April 3, 2026 — 5:00am

I’ve booked a return flight to Copenhagen and I’m concerned about price hikes due to fuel surcharges. Although I’ve already paid, can my airline add an additional fuel surcharge? M. Kingsley, Hawthorn East, Vic

Several readers have written asking similar questions and the short answer is no. Once you’ve paid and your ticket is issued, you’ve entered into a binding contract at that price. Therefore an airline is not allowed to retroactively add new fuel surcharges or increase the fare by any other means. However, if you were to alter dates, routes or flights, the ticket is repriced at the prevailing rate, and that would include any new fuel surcharges. Another instance, if a flight is cancelled and you choose a different date or routing, it can sometimes trigger repricing, but not always.

My husband and I are planning to stay in Reykjavik from December 24–26 before our tour starts on December 27. My readings indicate that not much is open in the city during this time. What do you recommend for our stay during these days?
S. Wan, Randwick, NSW

Most locals will be at home with family and many businesses will be closed but there’s plenty happening. The main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, when Icelanders exchange gifts and have their big family dinner. Most shops, restaurants and attractions close by early afternoon or are shut. Christmas Day will be quiet but some hotels and a handful of restaurants catering to tourists will be open.

On December 26, life starts to return to the city and this is the best day for exploring. Highlights during this period include the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s iconic geothermal pool, which operates over Christmas though you should book well in advance. A soak here on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning is something you won’t forget. Late December gives you roughly 19 hours of darkness, maximising your chances of seeing the Northern Lights. Guided Northern Lights tours typically run even over Christmas, departing in the evening. Hallgrimskirkja Church holds Christmas services and if the tower is open, the view from the top is stunning. Laugavegur Street, Reykjavik’s main shopping street, hangs out the Christmas decorations and it’s a beautiful stroll even when the shops are closed.

Pre-book your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners well ahead of time, they fill up fast. In late December Reykjavik gets only about 4-5 hours of daylight, with sunrise around 11:30am and sunset around 3:30pm. Plan outdoor sightseeing around those hours and embrace the long, dark evenings for Northern Lights hunting and cosy indoor dining.

We are interested in travelling to Sri Lanka next March and were wondering if there are tour operators that you would recommend for a private tour for two couples. We are interested in a combination of culture, scenery and wildlife for 14+ days staying in four-to-five-star accommodation.
L. Stadtmiller, Rosedale, NSW

Inspiring Vacations has a 15 day “Private Ultimate Sri Lanka” package that includes all transport, accommodation in four and five-star hotels, most meals and even flights. It will be just the four of you travelling, and the tour makes a circuit of the island from Colombo to include the colonial city of Galle, Yala National Park, the tea country around Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and the historic Buddhist sites in the north. The best time to visit Sri Lanka is December to March, when you can expect dry, sunny weather, however, prices are slightly better in the April-May shoulder season.

We will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary next February and planning five nights away somewhere special within Australia. Perhaps not Queensland due to unpredictable weather at that time of year and we have recently explored the Red Centre. Any suggestions? M. Petrie, Box Hill, Vic

Tasmania would be my number one pick for your special celebration, and my choice of accommodation is Saffire Freycinet. It’s a glamorous retreat on the shores of Great Oyster Bay, about a 2½-hour drive from Hobart Airport. At Saffire, the architecture reflects the rippling sea nearby and the soaring peaks of The Hazards across the way. The food is sensational, a showcase for some of Tasmania’s finest, from wines to truffles, crayfish, scallops, tuna, lamb and oysters that come fresh from the bay outside the glass-fronted dining room.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied, with sensational walks and sea kayaking on the Freycinet Peninsula, fresh oyster tasting at Freycinet Marine Farm and visits to local wineries. Second choice, the low, rippling Adelaide Hills are a sensual feast of apple orchards, vineyards, tea shops and stone cottages surrounded by cool-climate gardens that hum with bee song. Enjoy the local markets, the wineries of the Adelaide Hills, a round of golf, take a stroll around the storybook village of Hahndorf and you’re close enough to the Barossa Valley for a day tour. Mount Lofty House and the fairytale Thorngrove Manor are the star performers, but there are heaps of accommodation options here, country cottages surrounded by roses to motels to luxury retreats.

Got a travel question? Include your name and suburb or town and send it to Michael Gebicki - [email protected]

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances