Middle East war: Cathay Pacific to lower fuel surcharges next Wed as oil prices fall

Hong Kong's flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, announced it will lower its fuel surcharges for international flights beginning July 1. This decision follows a decrease in global oil prices, which had surged in recent months following the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

Passengers flying long-haul routes between Hong Kong and destinations in the Southwest Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa will see surcharges cut by approximately HK$200, from HK$1,362 to HK$1,164. Medium-haul flights to South Asia will experience a reduction of HK$92, from HK$633 to HK$541. Short-haul flights will see a decrease of HK$49, with surcharges dropping from HK$339 to HK$290.

However, surcharges for flights between Hong Kong and mainland China will remain unchanged. These are set at HK$165 for flights from Hong Kong to the mainland and RMB135 (approximately HK$156) for flights in the opposite direction.

This marks the second time Cathay Pacific has eased its fuel surcharges since the Middle East conflict escalated in late February. The airline had previously reduced these fees last month. Cathay Pacific stated it is reviewing its fuel surcharges bi-weekly to better reflect jet fuel price fluctuations, describing this as a temporary measure to be revisited once the situation in the Middle East stabilizes.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific's flights to Riyadh and Dubai continue to be suspended. The airline extended this suspension until August 31, having initially halted services to these two Middle Eastern cities last month.

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This increased frequency is intended as a temporary measure and will be revisited when the Middle East situation stabilises.