Posted on August 25, 2008 by Fiona Hilliard

Airline passengers are set to enjoy a windfall of cheap tickets this autumn as international carriers around the world launch a price war in serious efforts to fill vacant seats over the coming months.

Despite predictions that air fares would skyrocket to make up for lost profits on rising fuel costs, British Airways and other major airlines have dramatically reduced fares.  Some fares have even been slashed by more than 40 percent. 

Both British Airways and German carrier Lufthansa are selling low cost tickets for journeys well into next year.  The British Airways tickets are almost 36 per cent cheaper than usual and are based on departures from August 22 to June 30 2009.

Meanwhile Lufthansa has reduced the price of economy tickets by 20 percent for departures until the end of March.

Virgin Atlantic has prolonged its sale until Tuesday for flights leaving over the next few months.  Its price cuts range from 15 per cent to 41 per cent to far flung holiday destinations including Dubai, Hong Kong and Johannesburg.  They have also set the cost of an economy ticket to New York to less than £300 (€376).