JAL, ANA Sets Record Fuel Surcharges for Some Int’l Flights

Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)–Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways said Friday that they will raise the fuel surcharges they add to airfares to a record 65,000 yen for tickets to be issued in July and August for flights from Japan to North America and Europe. The higher surcharges, which reflect surges in aviation fuel prices blamed on the Middle East crisis, could dampen travel demand during the summer holiday season. Fuel surcharges are calculated based on the averages of aviation fuel market prices and of foreign exchange rates over the previous two months. The two major Japanese airlines raised the caps on their fuel surcharges to 74,000 yen, also a record high. The July-August surcharges will be lower than the ceilings as JAL and ANA plan to use government subsidies. For tickets in May and June for flights to North America and Europe, JAL raised the surcharges to 56,000 yen from 29,000 yen in April, and ANA to 56,000 yen from 31,900 yen. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]