On March 15, 1999, a gallon of midgrade gas cost $1.07 in the United States.
Starting Saturday, that’s about the price AAFES customers in the Netherlands will be paying — per liter. While Americans wrestle with the idea of the possibility of $4 a gallon this summer, AAFES customers in the Netherlands will soon pay at least that much. The lowest grade available to Army and Air Force Exchange Service customers there spikes 15.6 cents a gallon Saturday to $4.09 — a record.
Prices in Germany and the United Kingdom also will set records, rising between 10.7 cents a gallon for premium unleaded to 20.5 cents a gallon for diesel.
Regular gasoline, sold only in Germany, is still the cheapest grade available, even at $3.451 a gallon. That price is 27.2 cents higher than a month ago, and nearly 71 cents more than a year ago.
Prices for AAFES diesel are above the $4 mark in every location, and are edging closer to $5 per gallon. AAFES price increases are greater than those at stateside pumps. For more than a month AAFES’ knocked between 3 cents and 5 cents off the price per gallon to compensate customers for an earlier pricing error. Until now, that cushioned AAFES customers somewhat from recent price spikes in the U.S.
