Tigerair Phl to raise fares in 5 int’l routes

MANILA, Philippines - Low cost carrier Tiger Airways Philippines, soon to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of budget airline Cebu Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific), is seeking approval to raise the fuel surcharge imposed on passengers of international flights.

Tigerair Philippines has filed a petition for authority to impose upward adjustment of fuel surcharge on its international passenger tickets before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

Based on its petition, the low cost carrier is raising the fuel surcharge imposed on passengers of Clark – Hong Kong from $10 to $25; Clark – Singapore from $20 to $35; Kalibo – Singapore from $26 to $40; Cebu – Singapore from $25 to $40; and Manila – Phuket from P1,100 to $45.

Early last month, Tigerair Philippines imposed a fuel surcharge on flights from Clark to Bangkok at $20 instead of P900; Clark to Hong Kong at $10 instead of P500; and Clark to Singapore at $20 instead of P860.

It also imposed a fuel surcharge of $35 for new routes including Cebu to Bangkok and Kalibo to Hong Kong as well as $25 for flights between Cebu and Singapore .

Furthermore, Tigerair Philippines raised the fuel surcharge by P100 in nine domestic routes from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

The fuel surcharge on tickets to Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban from Manila is now P100 more expensive as fuel surcharge would now cost P400 instead of P300. The surcharge on tickets to Davao from Manila also increased to P500 from P400.

Furthermore, the fuel surcharge on flights between Clark and Davao now costs P500 instead of P400 while Clark and Kalibo now costs P400 instead of P300.

Likewise, Cebu Pacific also imposed higher fuel surcharges imposed on passengers of 22 international destinations from NAIA, Clark, Cebu, and Iloilo due to higher expenses brought about by the more expensive aviation fuel as well as the depreciation of the peso against the greenback.

The CAB allows airlines to impose fuel surcharge on international and domestic passengers as a temporary relief to help them recover losses arising from the increase in jet fuel prices in the world market.

Latest results of the Jet Fuel Price Monitor of the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) showed that the price of jet fuel average $121.4 per barrel as of March 14 and is nearing the full year target of $124.2 per barrel set by IATA.