Unleaded gas prices at Army and Air Force Exchange Service stations will fall about 9 cents a gallon in the United Kingdom, while climbing slightly in Germany due to AAFES’ "floor pricing" policy.

In both countries, gas prices are significantly lower than this time last year. In Germany, for example, a gallon of gas on Jan. 1, 2008, cost $3.147. On Saturday, that same gallon of gas will cost $2.101, a $1.04 a gallon difference. In the U.K., a gallon of mid-grade gasoline fell 96.8 cents over the past year.

During 2008, prices climbed steadily through mid-July when the cost of a gallon was $4.32 at AAFES stations in Europe. A somewhat steady decline began at that point; this Saturday’s prices will be the lowest in the past 12 months.

For the most part, AAFES gas prices mirror the average price of fuel in the States as determined by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. However, when fuel costs from the supplier are greater than the Energy Department’s average plus dispensing costs, AAFES sets prices as a "floor" price, meaning the command will not lose money when selling fuel. That’s what has occurred in Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey and the Azores, according to an AAFES news release.

And AAFES customers will be able to take advantage of the cheapest grade of gas for only a little while longer.

The command announced earlier this week that Esso — AAFES’ gasoline supplier — will stop delivering unleaded regular fuel on Jan. 1, 2009.

AAFES stations in Mannheim, Ramstein, Sembach, Baumholder, Kaiserslautern and Landstuhl will continue to receive delivery of unleaded regular until supplies are exhausted, according to AAFES.

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