Major Japanese airlines are expected to nearly double fuel surcharges on international flights issued from June onward, as the war between the U.S.-Israel and Iran drives a sharp surge in global oil prices.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) are projected to raise fuel surcharges on tickets issued for June and July to 1.5 to 2 times the levels applied for April and May, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday. The two carriers set fuel surcharges on a bimonthly basis.
For routes between Japan and South Korea, ANA’s fuel surcharge is expected to rise from 3,300 yen (approximately 31,000 won) for April–May to 6,500 yen (approximately 62,000 won) for June–July. JAL is also expected to raise its Korea-Japan route surcharge from 3,000 yen (approximately 29,000 won) to 5,900 yen (approximately 56,000 won) over the same period.
Both airlines are also likely to increase fuel surcharges by more than 20,000 yen (approximately 190,000 won) on routes connecting Japan with Europe and North America for June–July. ANA’s surcharge is projected to rise from 31,900 yen (approximately 300,000 won) for April–May to 55,000 yen (approximately 520,000 won) for June–July. JAL’s surcharge is expected to increase from 29,000 yen (approximately 280,000 won) to 50,000 yen (approximately 480,000 won) over the same period.
ANA and JAL also significantly raised fares in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. However, with crude oil prices soaring recently due to worsening conditions in the Middle East, current fuel surcharges are expected to climb to record-high levels, the Yomiuri reported. The newspaper added that “if fuel prices continue to rise, airlines may not be able to absorb the costs through fuel surcharges alone,” suggesting carriers could move to adjust base ticket prices to avoid deteriorating profits. It also noted that Japanese travelers may forgo overseas trips and foreign tourist visits to Japan could decline.
AloJapan.com