Manila: The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has announced a reduction in the fuel surcharge for flights scheduled between May 16 and May 31. The surcharge will decrease from Level 18 to Level 15, reflecting a drop of three notches.

According to Philippines News Agency, the level adjustment will impact both domestic and international routes. For domestic flights, the Level 15 surcharge will range from PHP491 to PHP1,436, depending on the distance. International travelers can expect surcharges between PHP1,621.42 and PHP12,056. Previously, the surcharge for domestic flights ranged from PHP593 to PHP1,734, while international flights faced surcharges between PHP1,958.44 and PHP14,561.87 under the previous level.

The fuel surcharge is an additional fee that airlines are permitted to charge on top of the base fare, aimed at covering costs associated with oil price fluctuations. CAB has instituted a 15-day price monitoring and implementation cycle for fuel surcharges to alleviate the impact of fluctuating fuel prices on air travel costs. This measure is temporary and will remain in effect until the situation stabilizes or is revised as necessary.

As noted in an advisory on CAB's website, airlines wishing to impose or collect these surcharges during the specified period must submit their applications by the required deadlines. CAB has set the applicable conversion rate at PHP61.18 to the US dollar for the period of May 16-31.