Overseas flight tickets are to become more expensive, as the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has approved an adjustment to the aviation fuel surcharge, citing rising aviation fuel prices this month.
The surcharge for long-haul flights would rise from US$39 to US$45.50 per aviation segment, as the average price of aviation fuel reached US$90 per barrel, the agency said.
The surcharge for short-haul flights would rise from US$15 to US$17.50 per aviation segment, it said.
The average price of aviation fuel was US$79.48 per barrel in January, US$80.18 in February, US$86.22 in March and US$88.19 last month, CAA data showed.
For long-haul flights, the surcharge was US$32.50 per aviation segment in January and it was US$39 from February to last month.
The surcharge for short-haul flights was US$12.50 per aviation segment in January and US$15 from February to last month.
China Airlines (CAL) and EVA Air have announced on their Web sites that the surcharge adjustment would apply to tickets issued after tomorrow.
However, CAL said that the surcharge for its flights to Hong Kong would remain US$15 per aviation segment.
Following the adjustment, the price of a round-trip ticket to Japan or South Korea would increase by US$5, while the price of a round-trip ticket to countries in North America or Europe would rise by US$13.
In related news, the CAA has confirmed that two Russian airlines would begin offering weekly flights to Taiwan at the end of this month.
Royal Flight Airlines is on May 25 to begin offering one round-trip flight per week between Moscow and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the agency said, adding that the flight time would be about 10.5 hours.
The airline is planning to use Boeing 767-300 aircraft for the service, which can transport more than 300 passengers, it said.
Meanwhile, S7 Airlines would operate one round-trip flight per week between Taoyuan and Vladivostok, with a pilot flight scheduled to leave from Taoyuan on May 24, the agency said, adding that the airline would use Airbus 320 aircraft for the flight.
The government has also launched a trial program to increase the number of visitors from Russia, allowing them to stay in Taiwan for two weeks without needing a tourist visa.
The program, which began on Sept. 6 last year and is to end on July 31, has so far attracted four groups of travel agents to scout for possible travel routes in Taiwan and one tour group during the New Year’s holiday, the Tourism Bureau said.
Agents representing the two Russian airlines in Taiwan said that the companies do not exclude the possibility of raising the number of weekly flights if the services are well-received.
Royal Flight had offered charter flights to Taiwan in 2016 and 2017, while S7 Airlines would be offering flights to Taiwan for the first time, the agency said.
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