How do fuel surcharges work?

How do fuel surcharges actually work? Ugh, right? They feel like a total rip-off, don't they? Like, when gas prices go through the roof – remember that summer of 2021? My friend Sarah was driving across the country and the fuel surcharges on her rental car were insane – almost doubled the cost of the initial quote! It's supposed to be this neat, transparent system, tied to some fuel price index, so it goes up and down with the price at the pump, you know? But does it really? That's what I question.

I mean, I remember last year, gas prices plummeted after that brief spike. But the surcharge on my regular airline flights? Barely budged! It felt like they were clinging to that extra cash like a lifeline, even when the underlying cost had dropped significantly. Is that just me being cynical? Maybe. But it sure feels like they're slow to reflect actual fuel price decreases. It's infuriating, honestly. It feels like they're always finding ways to squeeze a few extra bucks out of us, and fuel surcharges are a perfect example. I swear sometimes I think they make more money from these surcharges than from their actual services. Am I being paranoid? Probably. But still... annoying!