Irish airline Aer Lingus will raise its fuel surcharges on long haul routes to the United States at the end of the month due to the sharp increase in the oil price, it said on Wednesday.

"The price of oil has risen significantly in recent weeks and continues to be extremely volatile," Aer Lingus said in a statement. "Aer Lingus will keep the level of the surcharges under constant review and make adjustments where appropriate."

Shares in airlines fell across Europe on Wednesday after British budget carrier easyJet warned record fuel costs would erode its full-year profit if they didn't ease soon.

Former state airline Aer Lingus will increase surcharges from March 29, by various amounts depending on the destination and the direction of the flight.

On flights from Ireland to San Francisco and Los Angeles, the surcharge will rise to USD$99 from USD$90, while on transatlantic flights to New York, Boston and Washington they will go up to USD$75 from USD$70. Some routes will be unaffected by the changes.

Aer Lingus shares ended flat at 2.07 euros, outperforming a one percent fall for the broader Irish market