Cathay Pacific, Dragon Air seek 8-11% fuel charge hike

MANILA, Philippines -  Foreign airlines Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Dragon Airlines Ltd of Hong Kong are seeking to jack up fuel charges between eight percent and 11 percent, separate petitions filed with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed.

Cathay Pacific and Dragonair filed separate petitions seeking to impose upward adjustments on fuel surcharge on international passenger tickets.

Both petitions filed last Sept. 4 are scheduled for hearing on Sept. 26.

Based on their petitions, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair intend to impose an 8.7 percent increase in fuel charges to $135.50 from the current $124.70 for flights between Hong Kong and South West Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East, Asian Sub-Continent including same-day transit in Bangkok and Singapore.

Both airlines are also seeking an 11 percent increase in surcharge to $31.20 from the current $28.10 beyond those routes.

Cathay Pacific flies along the Hong Kong-Manila route 37 times a week and seven times between Hong Kong and Cebu City while Dragonair has daily flights between Clark Freeport and Hong Kong as well as services the Manila-Hong Kong route seven times a week.

Airlines seeking to adjust their fuel charges based on the movement of jet fuel prices in the world market need to file an application with the CAB.

The CAB recently approved the application of Cebu Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific) of taipan John Gokongwei to impose fuel charges to all passengers flying to Malaysia and Thailand.

The CAB has given Cebu Pacific the greenlight to impose a $30 fuel charge on its international passenger tickets from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur and $35 for those taking the Cebu to Bangkok flights.

 The airline is set to begin direct services from Cebu to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur in the first week of December this year.

Cebu Pacific is set to launch twice weekly flights from Cebu to Bangkok starting Dec. 8 and twice weekly flights from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur starting Dec. 9.