Travelers booking their flights next month may need to slightly adjust their budget as the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) raised the fuel surcharge for both domestic and international flights.
In an advisory on Tuesday, CAB said surcharge, a fee assessed by a carrier to account for regional and/or seasonal variations in fuel costs, will be modified to Level 5 for March, up from Level 4 this month.
The change comes as the summer season approaches, potentially affecting travelers planning their vacations.
With the higher level surcharge, airlines are allowed to impose fuel surcharges ranging from P151 to P542 for domestic flights, depending on flight distance, and P498.03 to P3,703.11 for international flights.
At the current level, passengers only pay P117 to P342 for domestic flights and P385.70 to P2,867.82 for international flights — all depending on the flight distance.
In a text message, AirAsia Philippines Communications and Public Affairs head First Officer Steve Dailisan acknowledged the impact of the surcharge increase.
“We understand that this change may minimally impact guests’ travel plans, that’s why our Piso Fare promotion is perfectly timed for those looking to save on cost.
Despite the adjustments, AirAsia remains fully committed to fulfilling our brand promise of making air travel safe, accessible and hassle-free for purposeful journeys with family, friends and loved ones,” Dailisan said.
Meanwhile, budget air carrier Cebu Pacific emphasized its commitment to affordable travel despite the higher surcharges.
“Despite fuel surcharges increasing in March, Cebu Pacific remains committed to offering the best value fares so every Juan can still travel affordably.”
“With summer travel approaching, we encourage our passengers to book early and take advantage of our lowest fares. We look forward to flying every Juan to their much-awaited getaways this season,” CEB president and chief commercial officer Xander Lao said.
Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines has yet to comment on the surcharge adjustment as of press time.