Foreign carriers seek additional fuel surcharge

0
635

FOREIGN carriers have once again filed with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for additional fuel surcharge in view of the continuous increase in fuel prices.

As of October 22, aviation fuel averaged $61.05 per barrel compared to the $55.30 per barrel average in September.

CAB said Northwest Airlines has filed for an additional $25 fuel surcharge per passenger per flight. The airline was already granted a $20 fare hike last month.

EVA Airways is also seeking a $2-hike in fuel surcharge, increasing current charges to $8.40 per passenger, per flight from $6.40 approved earlier.

Singapore Airlines and affiliate SilkAir are also seeking additional charges to cover the fuel increases. From $5, Singapore Airlines wants to hike its fuel surcharge to $7 for flights to Southeast Asia, and $12 for all other flights except for those bound for Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, where it would collect only $4.

SilkAir wants to bring its fuel surcharge to $7 from $5. Passengers flying to China, Macau, and India will be charged $12.

Philippine Airlines, whose initial petition was among the first to be approved by the CAB, is requesting an added fuel surcharge of $14 for flights to the United States, Canada and Australia, $10 to the Middle East, and $8 for other destinations from $6.

Air Philippines wants to collect $6 for chartered flights to China.

Cathay Pacific was earlier given the go-signal to hike its fuel surcharge to $19 from $14 for long-haul flights and $7 from $5 for short-haul flights in September.

Fuel accounts for 38% of carrier’s cost per passenger, the second highest operating expense of an air carrier next to labor.