However, the person in charge of several travel agencies indicated that outbound tourism has already been "challenged" by the A/H1N1 flu, with a sharp decline in tourists. This significant increase in the fuel surcharge will pose an even greater challenge to outbound tourism. Meanwhile, they reminded that judging from the current situation, it is likely that domestic airlines will "follow suit" and raise fuel surcharges. Citizens who wish to travel at low prices should sign up early.
Yesterday, reporters learned from several travel agencies in the city that following the adjustment of international aviation fuel fees by China Southern Airlines and other international route operators, after August 5th, some outbound tourism routes from Zhengzhou will also see price increases. In previous years, during the summer transport season, Southeast Asia routes were the most popular, but this time the surcharge only increased by 50 yuan; now it will be uniformly increased by 200 yuan. For longer routes such as Europe, America, Australia, and Africa, which have seen larger increases, group fees will rise by about 5%. Additionally, the cost for Hong Kong and Macao routes will increase by thirty to forty yuan, but to attract customers, travel agencies will temporarily not adjust the prices for "Hong Kong-Macao tours" or long-distance tours to Australia and Europe.
With no hope for domestic aviation fuel surcharges, airlines quickly shifted their hopes of reducing costs to international route fuel surcharges. According to insiders from multiple airlines, China Southern Airlines, Rongtai Airlines, Dragonair, and others have all raised their international route fuel surcharge standards, increasing them by 50 to 200 yuan per segment on international routes. Furthermore, China Southern Airlines has reinstated the fuel surcharge for flights originating within China and heading to Japan, suspended since July 1st, charging 250 yuan per segment. The scope of this adjustment by China Southern Airlines is "quite large," covering almost all its routes across continents, with increases ranging from 25% to 40%.
Aviation fuel price reduction: No immediate plan to reinstate domestic route fuel fees
Relief pressure: International fuel fee hike leads to higher ticket prices
As everyone knows, we are currently in the peak season for air travel during the summer holidays. Discounts on tickets from Zhengzhou to major cities have decreased compared to June, and it's hard to find tickets below four-tenths discount.
But plans can't keep up with changes. With the unpredictable fluctuations in international oil prices, one month after raising the ex-factory price of aviation kerosene, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has again lowered the ex-factory price of aviation fuel.
"Since the re-collection of domestic fuel surcharges must be approved by the NDRC and has a significant impact, the government department will be more cautious. International fuel surcharges are set by airlines themselves, only requiring approval from the civil aviation department. So airlines can currently only alleviate pressure by increasing fuel surcharges on international routes," said a civil aviation expert who wished to remain anonymous yesterday.
Some aviation insiders are also skeptical about the reinstatement of domestic aviation fuel surcharges: the continuous speed-up of railways has already led to some "diversion" of aviation passengers. If fuel surcharges are reinstated, it may "squeeze" some passengers onto other transportation modes like railways and highways, making the method of attracting large numbers of passengers through low-discount fares "fail at the last hurdle." Moreover, under the current financial crisis, this move may exacerbate the decline in flight occupancy rates, ultimately harming the airlines themselves.
Starting from the 15th of this month, given the changes in international crude oil prices, many civil aviation insiders have analyzed that there is a possibility that domestic route fuel fees could be reinstated at the end of this month or the beginning of next month. China National Aviation Corporation (Air China), China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, the three major domestic airlines, have already submitted applications for reinstatement to the National Development and Reform Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The reinstated price might be 20 yuan per person for distances under 800 kilometers, and 40 yuan per person for 800 kilometers (inclusive) and above.
On July 27th, relevant officials from the National Development and Reform Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration of China clearly stated that they would not approve the reinstatement of fuel surcharges. The airlines' dream of reinstating domestic fuel surcharges has thus temporarily become an illusion.
With the increase in surcharges, outbound tourists next month will have to pay more money.