ZestAir seeks higher fuel surcharge on South Korea flights

Zest Airways Group has asked the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to allow it to increase its fuel surcharge imposed on passengers to Korea by as much as 46 percent. In its petition, ZestAir cited rising price of aviation fuel in the world market as reason for its request. ZestAir wants to increase fuel surcharge on its international passenger tickets to Korea to $66 per passenger from $25 per passenger. The budget airline, jointly owned by juice magnate Alfredo Yao and Philippines’ AirAsia Inc., has flights between Manila and Incheon as well as Manila and Pusan. Philippines’ AirAsia Inc. is the local arm of low-cost carrier AirAsia Group of Malaysia. The CAB allows airlines to impose fuel surcharge on international and domestic passengers as a temporary relief to help them recover losses arising from the increase in jet fuel prices in the world market. Based on the Jet Fuel Price Monitor of the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), the price of jet fuel averaged $127.2 per barrel as of March 15, nearing the full year target of $132.8 per barrel set by IATA. — KBK, GMA News