Airline fuel surcharge remains elevated at Level 15 for May 16-31

THE Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) lowered the passenger fuel surcharge to Level 15 for the second half of May from Level 18 previously, although surcharge rates remain near the upper end of the regulator’s pricing matrix amid continued volatility in global jet fuel prices.

In an advisory issued Tuesday and signed by Officer-in-Charge Maria Elben S.L. Moro, the regulator said the surcharge level for May 16-31 is five notches below the maximum Level 20 cap.

At Level 15, fuel surcharges range from P491 to P1,436 for domestic flights and from P1,621.42 to P12,056 for international flights, depending on distance.

Fuel surcharges are additional fees imposed by airlines to offset movements in jet fuel prices and are adjusted using the Mean of Platts Singapore benchmark.

Based on the CAB’s fuel surcharge matrix, passengers traveling from the Philippines to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Brunei from May 16 to 31 will pay an additional P1,621.42 in fuel surcharge.

Passengers flying to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Guam will pay an additional P2,242.46, while those traveling to North America, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands will pay P11,481.90.

In April, the CAB shifted from a monthly review of fuel surcharges to a 15-day monitoring cycle to respond more quickly to movements in fuel prices following tensions in the Middle East.

The interim measure will remain in effect until conditions in the Middle East stabilize or until revised or revoked, CAB Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla said previously.

For airlines collecting surcharges in foreign currency during the May 16-31 period, CAB set the equivalent exchange rate at P61.18 to the dollar.

Data from the Department of Energy showed the Philippines had 73 days of available jet fuel supply as of May 8.

According to the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel prices declined 10.1% week on week to $162.89 per barrel as of May 8, although prices remained 80.9% higher year on year.

Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it is extending the suspension of flights to and from Doha until June 30 from the earlier suspension period ending May 31. The flag carrier is also extending the suspension of Dubai flights until Aug. 2.

“With unpredictable conditions — including restricted airspace, sudden closures, and limited routing options — we are taking a more cautious approach based on our safety assessment, recognizing that operating conditions vary by airline,” PAL said in an advisory.

The airline cited escalating tensions in the region and risks to critical infrastructure as reasons for extending the flight cancellations.

PAL earlier suspended the Doha and Dubai routes from March 20 to April 30 before extending the suspension until May 31.

Affected passengers may avail themselves of free rebooking, travel credit conversion, or refunds, the airline said.

PAL said refund processing for tickets booked directly with the airline may take about eight days due to the volume of requests, while posting time may take between two and four weeks.

The airline added that flights to Riyadh remain operational while it continues to assess operating conditions in the region. — Ashley Erika O. Jose