Here’s Why We Can Expect Cheaper Plane Tickets in February
The best time to book is next month.
(SPOT.ph) It’s time to plan those flights! The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) of the Philippines is set to lower the fuel surcharge in February, which essentially promises cheaper air travel for Filipinos.
Under CAB Resolution No. 25, fuel surcharge rate will only be categorized in Level 5 from February 1 to 29. What this means is that fuel surcharge will only cost P151 to P542 for local flights and P498.03 to P3,703.11 for international flights depending on the distance. During this time, airlines seeking to collect fuel surcharges are prohibited from exceeding the Level 5 range.
To put things into context: The fuel surcharge is at Level 6 in January, with fees from P185 to P665 for domestic routes and P610.37 to P4,538.40 for international routes. Last December, it was high in demand at Level 7.
The last time CAB implemented a Level 5 was in May 2023, according to Inquirer.
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Why is there a fuel surcharge in airfares?
You might have noticed while finalizing an airline booking that the base fare is often compounded with additional taxes and surcharges; one of the non-negotiables of the latter include fuel surcharges.
Fuel surcharges are extra fees that airlines charge to cope with the changing costs of jet fuel. They are added on top of the ticket price but can go up or down based on how much fuel costs at a particular time. As jet fuel is behind a significant portion of an airline's operating expenses, regulatory bodies like the CAB help airlines stay financially stable when fuel prices become unpredictable.
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