Getting to Sardinia just got a lot more expensive. Ferry companies have raised their rates 90% to 100%.
Authorities are now launching an antitrust investigation to determine if the ferry companies are acting as a cartel, colluding together to raise prices.
Four companies make up 75% of the ferry fleet and account for 60% of the travel from the mainland to Sardinia. Consumer watch groups are accusing the parent corporations of conspiring to increase rates across the board, leaving travelers with no choice but to accept the higher prices.
Sardinian and Ligurian businesses have also complained, worried that the high-cost of transportation will discourage tourism and hurt the local economy.
The ferry companies have attempted to explain the price hike based on the rising cost of oil. The defense is not holding much water, as only the rates on the popular Sardinian route have been raised. Ferries run by the same companies in other locations have not changed their ticket prices.
Travelers are encouraged to save their tickets for possible compensation if the ferries are found at fault.
