BUDGET airline easyJet has hiked its inflight food and drink prices by almost 20 per cent – sparking fury from holidaymakers.
The carrier is on the hook for leaving thousands of passengers stranded abroad this week during the half-term flight cancellation chaos.
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It has now increased prices on scores of items, The Sun can reveal.
Passengers jetting off in autumn 2019 could buy a can of BrewDog Punk IPA craft beer (330ml) for £4.50.
But the same drink today will set you back a hefty £5.50 – an increase of 18 per cent.
Similarly, a can of Heineken lager (330ml) now costs £5 – a 10 per cent increase on the £4.50 Easyjet charged pre-pandemic in late 2019.
Travellers hoping to enjoy a stronger inflight tipple are also being slapped with price increases.
Three years ago a 50ml/5cl spirit measure including brands such as Bombay Sapphire Gin, Smirnoff Vodka, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey and Bacardi Carta Blanca were charged at £4.50.
But as of this summer passengers are being asked to fork out £5.50 for the same drinks – an increase of 18 per cent.
Inflight food prices have also soared.
In 2019 a meal deal including sandwich, snack and drink, would set you back £7.50. Today, it’s £7.95 – a rise of six per cent.
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The deal cost £10 with an alcoholic beverage in 2019 compared to £10.50 today.
Prices for teas and coffees have also increased by 10 per cent, up from £2.50 to £3.
Snack prices have largely remained the same at £2 for the majority of chocolate treats.
Passengers have slammed the putative increases.
Mum-of-one, Jane Robinson, 42, from Redhill in Surrey, said: “easyJet’s food and drink prices are simply astronomical – how can anyone afford increases of almost 20 per cent for a simple bite to eat and drink on board? This isn’t gourmet grub.
“What with all the delays and cancellations this week on top of the added expense, I expect many people will think twice about flying with the so-called budget airlines this summer. We certainly will.”
News of rocketing food and drink prices – set to affect thousands of travellers this summer comes just days after the no frills outfit cancelled 60 flights, adding to hundreds cancelled over the bank holiday weekend.
An estimated 10,000 passengers were caught up in the chaos – including some who are still trying to get home from Mediterranean islands such as Ibiza, Malta and Sicily.
And just last November the carrier announced it was increasing the price of taking larger hand baggage on to a flight.
Previously the average cost was £7 but this has now more than doubled to £15.
Critics have warned the airline’s price hikes would hit Brits battling the cost of living crisis in the pocket yet again.
Martyn James from consumer complaints group, Resolver.co.uk, said: “Weary travellers might be so grateful to get on a plane that they don’t notice the latest price hikes to in-flight drinks and food.
“But to increase costs at a time when money is tight and people are enduring appalling service from airlines is totally unacceptable.”
Sarah Coles, finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, added: “Airlines are facing the same food and drink inflation horrors as the rest of us but they’re choosing to pass the extra costs straight onto passengers rather than softening the blow.
“They have more freedom to hike prices because, once in the air, passengers are a captive audience.
“Unless you’ve packed your own food and drink, you have no choice but to pay whatever is being charged or go hungry.
“You can beat the rises by taking a packed lunch.
“You can take solid food like sandwiches and cakes through security, although any liquids need to be under 100ml and fit into a tiny plastic bag – which includes things like yogurts and humus.
“But you can pack an empty bottle and fill it from a water fountain when you’ve cleared security.”
easyJet did not respond to requests to comment.
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