Air travelers may have to pay more for international flights starting later this week if the government approves applications from local carriers to impose fuel surcharges in response to rocketing oil prices, a government official said yesterday.
Last week, the nation's two largest air carriers -- China Airlines Co (
Domestic carrier TransAsia Airways (
The aviation authority will likely rule on the applications soon, an official said yesterday.
"We will make a decision on whether to approve the application or not this week, as carriers said they can barely hold on as prices of jet fuel keep rising," Chen Tien-shih (
Several foreign carriers such as Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair also applied for permission to add fuel surcharges on flights into and out of Taiwan, Chen said.
The administration is pondering if it's fair for consumers to take on the additional cost, and if the amount of the surcharge is reasonable, given that consumers usually have to pay more during the peak summer season, Chen said.
The administration will also discuss when to suspend the surcharge, he added.
Chinese Petroleum Corp (
Chinese Petroleum and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (
Higher oil prices are also hurting land transportation operators.
Feng Pao-lo (
Taxi drivers also plan to charge more. Chen Teng (
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