Effective March 12, FlySafair will introduce a fuel surcharge on its flights to assist the airline with covering rising jet fuel costs, amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The surcharge will apply only to flights departing on or before May 12 and will vary depending on jet fuel prices and the length of the flight.
Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer of FlySafair, explained that the surcharge would be calculated as a standard amount per route. The surcharge will not be linked to passengers’ individual fares.
“We will be specifically itemising this temporary dynamic fuel surcharge on all tickets to ensure fairness and transparency to our customers,” said Gordon.
FlySafair said it had absorbed steep fuel cost increases since the Middle East conflict escalated on February 28, however it has now reached the point where it must pass on a portion of these costs to ensure the long-term sustainability of the airline.
The conflict in the Middle East resulted in the shut down of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly 20% of the world's oil supply flows. The airline revealed that the impact on fuel prices had been immediate and severe, with jet fuel prices at South African coastal airports spiking by approximately 70% in just one week.
