WIDESPREAD anger at the surcharges imposed by airlines for using credit and debit cards when paying for tickets are being investigated by the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

However, even if the charges are removed, chairman of the OFT Bill Henderson MHK believes it could lead to an increase in fares.

Airlines are currently charging all passengers around £5 per passenger on each leg of a flight for using a credit or debit card to pay. It is also understood that most airlines also impose a £5 surcharge for taking the booking payment even if paying by cash. The direct banking cost of taking a transaction by credit or debit card is believed to be in the region of 25p.

Mr Henderson accepted at yesterday’s sitting of the House of Keys that there was a lot of public concern and anger at the charges being imposed and suggested that passengers use an ‘Electron’ card as the airlines accepted these without surcharge.

However, it was pointed out during the brief discussion in the House of Keys that Electron cards are very difficult to acquire in the Isle of Man with one member suggesting it was “impossible”.

Mr Henderson said that applying the surcharges was not outside the current regulations and that all the airlines serving the island are compliant with existing regulations.

The Isle of Man OFT has informed regulatory body, the Civil Aviation authority, about the complaints. Mr Henderson said: "We are doing what we can, given our legal remit."

He added: "I personally don't like the extra charges passengers have to suffer.”

However, he concluded by suggesting that even if the controversial surcharges were removed the airlines would probably have to make a decision to recover the income in some other way, most likely by raising passenger fares.

“I hope the airlines take on board there is widespread public concern with these issues", he added.