SISTER airlines Cebu Pacific and Tigerair Philippines are asking the air-services regulator to impose a fuel surcharge on some of their international and local services.
In a filing with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the dominant budget carrier said it seeks to impose $71 for its Cebu-Narita flights; $48 for its Manila-Fukoka services; and $34 for its Cebu-Taipei trips.
Its sibling is asking the regulator to add P500 to the carrier’s operations from Manila to Butuan.
The petition of Cebu Pacific is set to be heard on November 13, while that of Tigerair Philippines on November 11.
Cebu Pacific has set a 17-million passenger volume guidance for the year as its capacity to fly more customers increased due to the inclusion of Tigerair Philippines in the family of the largest low-cost carrier in the country.
Without taking into account the added capacity from Tigerair, Cebu Pacific only expects to serve 15 million passengers by yearend.
The budget carrier flew in 14.35 million passengers last year, 8.3 percent higher than the 13.24 million customers in 2012, but still fell short from its 15-million passenger target.
A fuel surcharge is a temporary relief granted to airlines to help them recover losses incurred from higher jet-fuel prices.
Fuel accounts for as much as 60 percent of an airline’s operating cost per passenger, and is the second-highest expense next to labor.
Data from the International Air Transport Association showed jet-fuel cost was at $244.1 per gallon as of October 17, down by 10.1 percent from the preceding month and 17.6 percent less than the year-ago price.