South Africa’s largest airline, FlySafair, will raise fares to buffer against the steep increase in fuel costs triggered by the war in the Middle East.
The temporary surcharge will take effect from Thursday (12 March) and will apply to flights departing on or before May 12, “reflecting the airline’s hope that this is a short-term crisis requiring a short-term response,” it said in a e-mailed statement on Wednesday.
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FlySafair didn’t specify the size of the increase per passenger.
Global oil prices surged to the highest since mid-2022 following the US and Israel’s war on Iran, with jet A1 fuel at South Africa’s coastal airports rising about 70% in the week following the outbreak of the conflict.
Fuel typically comprises about half of FlySafair’s direct operating costs, and it estimates an additional expense of about R35 000 per flight.
It will reduce or remove the surcharge once market conditions improve.
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“The persistence and scale of these fuel costs have left us with no reasonable alternative,” CEO Kirby Gordon said.
“Instead of increasing fares across the board, we have chosen to introduce a temporary surcharge.”
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