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Int'l Fares not necessarily equal in the reverse

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Int'l Fares not necessarily equal in the reverse

Q. I was wondering if you knew what the deal is with airlines charging twice as much for the same routes when flying from the US to Europe. I just scored a great price to Florida from Geneva, Switzerland this March ($616) so decided to do a search to see how much it would cost for my father to make a trip here in June. Surprisingly, a Bay City, Michigan to Geneva, Switzerland return trip leaving June 8, 2009 is a little over $1400 according to Kayak.com, however the same routes, same dates, same airline, going in the other direction (Geneva to Bay City) is almost half the price, $749. What gives? Any thoughts?

A. Until we truly have a global economy, prices will always vary from country to countr, depending on the comparative value of currency and local economies. It's similar to when folks from one country flock to another to stock up on luxury goods for half the price they'd find at home. The same applies to airfares.


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Ha ... I've discovered this too while frequently hopping between the West Coast and London - now I start my outbound flight FROM LHR for a fraction of the cost and see my airfare going down every week, I guess because of the weakening Pound Sterling !
Easy to book and no price increases during height of summer travel !
by Travelomania on Monday, February 02, 2009
Trips originating in the US to Argentina are always cheaper than the reverse. Which makes it tough on my daughter, who lives down there.
by normalvision on Monday, February 02, 2009
I notice that the taxes vary WIDELY on different legs of international flights, as well.
by Brush on Saturday, January 31, 2009
Your answer (below) to the question is very unsatisfactory. If you don't know, I'd prefer that you said so. I think it's a good question, one I've had a number of times, and such a non-answer leaves me very unsatisfied. I can see that minor differences would occur given rates of exchange, perhaps local manpower costs, etc. However, these are international companies and all that goes with it.

I trust that you can hear this as helpful as intended.

Bill Schenck

A. Until we truly have a global economy, prices will always vary from country to countr, depending on the comparative value of currency and local economies. It's similar to when folks from one country flock to another to stock up on luxury goods for half the price they'd find at home. The same applies to airfares.
by Kauaifellow on Saturday, January 31, 2009
I have to agree with previous comments. I have been flying internationally for over thirty years and have posed that question many times to the airlines. The currency has nothing to do with it, because that was in our favor years ago and it still didn't make a difference. Flights originating from Europe were and still are cheaper. There is no reason to offer lower rates starting in Europe. You still have to fly the same route, their return flight comes from the States, ours from Europe, it just does not make any sense and I wished someone would look into this!

by dutch on Sunday, February 01, 2009
I'm afraid the answer is quite simple: they are charging what they think the market will bear!
by CC-in-VA on Sunday, February 01, 2009
The same is true in Germany, with United, to Chicago... starting the trip in Germany has been cheaper than starting in Chicago for at least the last 10 years! We have never seen the prices higher from Germany, regardless of how full the plane was.
This has been true regardless of the price of the Euro or D-mark, so I find it hard to believe the value of currency matters that much. (I always check the cost vs the difference of currency value)
It appears to me that they just know Americans will pay more!
by yahoo on Friday, January 30, 2009
why is so difficult to reach areas like Columbia South Carolina and Augusta Georgia. My boyfriend lives there and for weeks sometimes fares there don't show up on the watchdog list, but when I look around one trip had a seven hour duration to a place that is technically 1 hour 20 minutes in the air. one flight had me going all the way to Wisconsin then another stop and then on to Augusta. The fares are so expensive and the routes tenuous.
by emmanan on Friday, January 30, 2009
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