Hong Kong airlines look to extend fuel surcharge

Airline Industry Information, Oct 28, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong Dragon Airlines (Dragonair) have applied to the Hong Kong government for permission to extend their fuel surcharges past 30 November 2004 due to rising fuel costs.

Both airlines refused to say whether they had applied to raise the fuel charges again but newspaper reports suggest that they have and if true it would be the second time since June 2004 the airlines have applied to do so. A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Department said that it was currently handling three requests concerning fuel surcharges.

Cathay Pacific currently charges USD7 per passenger for flights within Asia and USD19 per passenger to destinations beyond Asia. Dragonair currently charges USD6.90 for all its flights, reports The Associated Press.

((Comments on this story may be sent to aii.feedback@m2.com))