Air France are joining other carriers in raising fuel surcharges

The Portuguese airlines Tap-Air, Portugalia Airlines and Air Luxor said they will take similar steps.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa have all recently said they would raise passenger fuel surcharges in response to record high oil prices.

Meanwhile, oil prices are becoming a concern for Asia Pacific airlines, the region's aviation association said.

BMI raised surcharges from �2.50 to �6 on its six long-haul flights to the US and the Caribbean

Air France airline said a surcharge of up to 12 euros ($14.79, �8.09) per leg would be introduced, on top of a 3 euro fuel surcharge on tickets on 19 May,

Air France's latest increase will see ticket prices go up from 24 August. Fares will increase by 2 euros per leg on domestic flights and 3 euros on European and North Africa routes.

On long-haul routes, the surcharge will rise by between 10 and 12 euros per leg, Air France said.

Portugalia Airlines general commercial director Maria Eugenia Silva said "if the price of petroleum continues to rise, we will have to increase the surcharge again".

Join the club

The airline's Dutch subsidiary, KLM, said it would impose a fuel surcharge of an average 3 euros per flight for all fares from 1 September.

Both Air France and KLM said the new surcharge would be dropped once crude oil prices return to below $35 a barrel for over 30 consecutive days.

Major airlines have been adding fuel surcharges to ticket prices or raised fares in response to higher fuel costs.

Earlier this month, BA said its fuel surcharge for long-haul passengers was to more than double from �2.50 to �6 per leg and Virgin Atlantic raised its surcharge from �2.50 to �6 for all flights sold in the UK.

On August 16, Germany's Lufthansa said it was increasing prices by 2 euros on domestic flights and 7 euros per leg for long-haul travel.

Under review

High oil prices were increasingly becoming a concern for Asia-Pacific carriers despite healthy growth in passenger volumes and capacity, the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA) said on Wednesday.

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific has announced a fuel surcharge increase and Singapore Airlines said on Monday it was "actively reviewing" the situation.

Jet fuel is the second-biggest cost for airlines after labour and accounts for up to 20% of operating expenses.