The Sunday Times has established that a family of four, including two teenagers, could pay as much as R41000 for return economy fares from Johannesburg to Cape Town in July next year.
At R10300 per person on British Airways, this works out at just R500 less per passenger than a return ticket to London at the same time.
Based on online quotes and telephonic verification with six reputable travel agencies this week, British Airways currently appears to be the most expensive, but that does not mean other local airlines won't be cashing in over that period.
The quotes included:
* Return economy-class tickets for a family of four on South African Airways from Johannesburg to Cape Town between July 9 and 11 could cost as much as R30500; and
* A return flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town - which now costs between R7700 and R12400 on 1time and Kulula respectively for a family of four - will cost R19112 between July 9 and 11 next year.
Return flights per person between Durban and Johannesburg between June 11 and 13 will cost R5000 (SAA), R4600 (BA) and R2600 (1time).
Flabbergasted travel agents said yesterday that airlines were "set to make a killing".
A Johannesburg travel agent said Fifa had "block-booked" most airline tickets for the World Cup, leaving very few tickets for domestic travellers.
But airlines said ticket prices would be finalised only after the draw on December 4.
SAA spokesman Vimla Maistry said cheaper fares would be made available after the draw.
"Once we know where the teams will be playing, we will be able to open bookings for tickets. There will be some increases in ticket prices over the period," said Maistry.
She said extra flights would be arranged during the period.
She said the cheaper tickets that would be made available after the draw would obviously be snapped up.
Heidi Brauer, executive manager of marketing and communication at Comair, which operates British Airways in South Africa, said they had made available a limited number of tickets for the World Cup period.
She said none of the airlines had finalised their pricing. "We are definitely not going to try and fleece the public."
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article194452.ece
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