Cebu Pac, 2 foreign airlines seek higher fuel surcharge

MANILA, Philippines - Budget carrier Cebu Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific) of taipan John Gokongwei and two other foreign airlines are set to raise fuel surcharge slapped on international passengers to offset the rising cost of aviation fuel in the world market.

In a petition filed before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Cebu Pacific is seeking a 22-percent increase in its fuel charge for flights to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan from Manila to $55 per passenger from $55 per passenger.

The budget airline also intends to impose a fuel surcharge of $65 per passenger for flights to Denpasar in Indonesia from Manila.

Earlier, Cebu Pacific sought to impose an 80-percent increase in its fuel surcharge for passengers going to Pusan in Korea to $45 per passenger from $25 per passenger

The airline currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 22 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. Its fleet of 40 aircraft – with an average age of 3.6 years – is the largest aircraft fleet in the Philippines. Between 2012 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 19 more Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft orders.

Cebu Pacific is slated to begin long-haul services in the third quarter of next year.

The airline’s net income climbed 2.4 percent to P2.27 billion in the first nine months of the year from P2.21 billion as revenues posted a double digit growth of 14 percent to P27.87 billion from P24.46 billion.

Data showed passenger revenues grew 10.1 percent to P21.80 billion as passenger volume rose 12.3 percent to 9.8 million from 8.7 million in 2011 on the back of more flights during the period. Cargo revenues grew by 13.9 percent to P1.736 billion from a year-ago level of P1.52 billion.

Meanwhile, All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. is seeking a 23-percent increase in fuel surcharge to $101 per passenger from $82 per passenger for flights to Japan from Manila.

All Nippon Airways currently has a fleet of 16 Boeing 787s, more than any other airline in the world. In September 2012, it announced plans to purchase an additional eleven 787-9s, bringing the total number of 787s ordered the airline to a 66.

Air Nuigini Limited, on the other hand, is asking for a 13-percent increase in fuel surcharge to $130 per passenger from $115 per passenger for flights between Manila and Port Moresby.

Air Niugini is the national airline of Papua New Guinea, based in Port Moresby. It operates a domestic network from Port Moresby and Lae, as well as international services in Asia, Oceania, and Australia. Its main base is Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby.

The airline has a fleet of 22 aircraft that includes Boeing 737 and 767 as well as a variety of aircraft types from Dash 8 100/200/300 series, Q400s, and Fokker 100s.