2 airlines seek higher charges

Two local airlines are seeking regulatory approval to impose higher charges for international fights, according to separate filings made with the Civil Aeronautics Board.

Cebu Pacific Air, the country’s biggest budget carrier, is seeking a fuel surcharge of $0.80 per kilogram and a security surcharge of $0.10 per kilogram for cargo flights to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, the company said in its petition.

Tiger Airways Philippines, the local unit of Singapore’s Tiger Airways Holdings, is also seeking the regulator’s approval to increase the fuel surcharge for three international routes.

For Clark to Singapore, it wants an increase from P800 to P860; for Clark to Bangkok, it wants an increase from P850 to P900; and for Kalibo to Singapore, it seeks a hike from P900 to P1,100, Tiger Airways Philippines’ filing showed.

Fuel surcharges form part of an airline’s ticket cost and is a tool granted by the government to help airlines recover part of their fuel expenses.

The CAB, meanwhile, said it scheduled a hearing on Cebu Pacific’s petition on Oct. 9, while Tiger Airways Philippines’ petition will be taken up on Oct. 8.

For Cebu Pacific, the pending increase comes as it plans to start the Dubai-Manila operations on Oct. 7.

The airline, which mainly operates mid-range Airbus planes, is gradually beefing up its long-haul fleet as it expands to farther locations.

Cebu Pacific operates 47 planes, comprised of 10 Airbus A319, 27 Airbus A320, 2 Airbus A330 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. Between 2013 and 2021. Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 15 more Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 4 Airbus A330 aircraft, it said in a previous statement.

Dubai will be added to Cebu Pacific’s growing list of international destinations, which now include Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Brunei, Busan, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Incheon (Seoul), Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Phuket, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taipei and Xiamen.