The Civil Aviation Department has approved the filings submitted by Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong Dragon Airlines to levy a fuel surcharge on passenger carriage in view of the recent increase in aviation fuel prices.

Cathay Pacific will collect US$5 and US$14 (or HK$ equivalent) per sector per passenger for their short-haul and long-haul flights, while DragonAir will levy $42 per sector per passenger.

13 carriers granted approvals so far

The department also granted approvals to the three Mainland carriers, namely China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Air China to impose a fuel surcharge on their passenger carriage at the level of $42 per sector.

So far, approvals to levy a fuel surcharge have been given to 13 passenger carriers. 

The other international carriers which received approval were South African Airways, Air Canada, Australian Airlines, Qantas Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Emirates, Air India and Gulf Air.

Their surcharge levels range from US$4 to US$10.

The approved surcharges will remain valid until August 31, 2004.

Approval decision based on several factors

The department said it has considered the filings on the merits of each application, having regard to established policies and relevant provisions in the concerned bilateral air services agreements, including:

* the basis for determining the proposed surcharge;

* whether the airline concerned had levied or proposed similar surcharge on other routes; the period for which the surcharge would remain valid;

* overall operating costs of the airlines concerned; interests of the travelling public; and

* tariffs (including surcharges) of other airlines operating on the same routes.

Applications for fuel surcharges from six international passenger carriers are still being considered.