Archive photo. (Photo: FlySafair)
FlySafair has announced that its fuel charge is now 40% lower than the highest level reached at the end of March this year, after the cost of fuel began to decline in recent weeks.
The airline introduced the charge in March after conflict in the Middle East disrupted global oil supply routes and sent fuel prices soaring.
FlySafair said at the time that the charge would appear as a separate item on ticket prices, calculated by route to reflect actual fuel consumption, and revised weekly as market conditions change.
According to the shipping company, the availability and cost of Jet A1 fuel has improved since then.
Refinery margins for jet fuel have also eased, contributing to prices falling faster than changes in the price of crude oil alone would indicate.
The latest reduction is the biggest since the levy was introduced.
(Photo: FlySafair/ Facebook)
“We are encouraged by the relief we are seeing in jet fuel prices and are delighted to be able to pass this benefit on to our customers,” says Kirby Gordon, FlySafair’s Head of Marketing.
“When we introduced the levy, we committed to review it weekly and lower it as circumstances allow. This latest adjustment reflects that commitment to transparency and fairness.”
However, according to FlySafair, jet fuel prices remain dependent on global oil markets and geopolitical developments. The airline will therefore continue to review and adjust the charge weekly according to the underlying fuel costs.
The impact of the drop is clear in the latest figures. The charge on the Johannesburg-Cape Town route fell from R832.60 on 30 March to R491.01 on 2 June. On the Johannesburg-Durban route, the charge decreased from R460 to R271.23 in the same period.