News

Rising oil prices affects travel costs
If you plan to drive to your summer vacation destination you probably expected to feel the effect of high oil prices, but now those flying will be affected as well. In a statement released on Monday, July 4, Air France announced an increase in their fuel surcharge to help offset rising costs of oil.

Passengers can expect to pay an additional 1 € for domestic flights, 2 € for medium distance and 4 € for long trips, according to Air France. This fuel surcharge takes effect on July 19 and is the third put into effect since May 2004.

The surcharge will remain in effect until oil prices stay below $ 50 US (42 €) a barrel for 30 consecutive days. As of July 11, oil prices are down $1.14 to $58.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in European electronic trading and down $1.17 to $57.03 per barrel on London's International Petroleum Exchange. An expected increase in prices was avoided when tropical storm Dennis was down-graded from a hurricane, avoiding damage to key refineries in the Gulf of Mexico.

Other airlines including Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have announced similar charges to offset oil costs.

Water rationed as drought worsens
The heat wave of late June only aggravated the damage due to lower than average rainfall in the past months, according to environment ministry's drought bulletin, published on July 11. The result is a seriously depleted water table which is threatening this year’s crops as the country’s worst drought in decades continues.

Water rationing has now spread to 50 of France’s 96 departments with the ministry’s most severe limitations placed along the Atlantic. Rising concern for forest fires accompanies the fear of farmers who might loose their crops. Without the needed rain in July, crops could drop by 30 percent in some areas.

Increased security results from attacks
Acting quickly in response to the deadly bombings in London on July 7, France’s anti-terror alert was raised to red, the second-highest rating. Following a meeting with Defense minister Michele Alliot-Marie, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin decided to increase security at border controls around the country.

Special attention is being paid to the Channel port of Calais and the English port of Dover with a newly assigned 200 members of France’s security force. An additional 1100 soldiers will be deployed throughout France as a result of heightened security. Surveillance also increased for air, rail, and high-speed train travel as well as public transportation.