On January 3, eight airlines announced that they will suspend the fuel surcharge for passenger transportation on domestic routes from tomorrow (January 5).

Including: 

• Hainan Airlines, 

• Grand China Airlines, 

• Shenzhen Airlines, 

• Lucky Air, 

• China United Airlines, 

• Spring Airlines, 

• Xiamen Airlines

• Shandong Airlines.

© Image | 微博@人民日报

2018 Cost Adjustment Changes

On June 5, 2018, after three years, major airlines in China resumed the collection of fuel surcharges on domestic routes.

In less than one year, the fuel surcharge on domestic routes experienced three price increases, and then fell for the first time on December 5 last year, down to 10 yuan per passenger (800 km or less) or 30 Yuan (over 800 km).

© Image | 视觉中国

According to public information, the airline’s suspension of the fuel surcharge on domestic routes was related to the decline in the ex-factory price of domestic aviation kerosene in January this year.

Will the fee be restored later?

The sales tickets before January 4, 2019 are still subject to the fuel surcharges as originally stipulated; the tickets sold from January 5 (including, the date of issue) will be suspension of the current basis of standard fuel surcharge.

In response to this news, the person in charge of the Ctrip(携程) said that it is only a suspension of the fuel surcharge, which does not mean that the fee is cancelled. According to relevant regulations, when the domestic aviation kerosene comprehensive procurement cost exceeds 5,000 yuan per ton, the airline can resume charging the domestic route fuel surcharge.

© Image | 中时电子报

 

At present, the above-mentioned airlines have issued a notice on the official website to suspend the fuel surcharge for domestic routes. “We have received notice from the relevant airlines to reduce the fuel surcharge,” said the person in charge of Ctrip.

However, as of the publication of this article, these Airlines below have not publicly released information on the reduction of fuel surcharges.

• China Southern Airlines, 

• Air China, 

• China Eastern Airlines.

According to previous practice, as long as one of Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China and China Eastern Airlines adjusts fuel surcharges, other airlines will follow up.

Note: Surcharge will not be 

refunded before Jan 5th.

Right now, the peak of the Spring Festival ticket booking, this good news will save travel expenses for passengers returning home by plane. Take Beijing to and from Chengdu as an example, if a family with two adults and a child travel and buy a ticket after January 5, and they can spend about 140 yuan less.

However, the regular ticket sold before January 4, 2019 (inclusive) will be changed to the flight after January 5 (inclusive). If the ticket is exchanged, the fuel surcharge will be the amount of the original ticketing date shall prevail, and the fuel surcharge shall not be refunded.

© Image | 中新网

In other words, if the domestic ticket issued before January 5th is changed to January 5th (inclusive), the fuel surcharge will not be refunded according to the new standard.

In addition, OPEN tickets sold before January 4, 2019 (inclusive) will still be subject to the original fuel collection fee when the seat is confirmed; if the ticket is to be exchanged and replaced after the date of issue of the ticket is on January 5, 2019 (inclusive), the fuel surcharge shall be based on the original date of the ticket issue, and the fuel surcharge shall not be refunded.