With oil prices staying high due to the war fallout among the United States, Israel and Iran, the highest fuel surcharge tier, level 33, will be applied to international tickets issued in May, adding up to 560,000 won in extra expense on the Incheon–New York route.
According to the aviation industry on the 16th, the Singapore jet fuel average (MOPS) from Mar. 16 to Apr. 15 this year, which is the basis for next month's fuel surcharge, was 511.21 cents per gallon ($214.71 per barrel), corresponding to level 33 for prices at or above 470 cents per gallon.
A fuel surcharge is a fee airlines add to fares to offset losses from rising oil prices. Under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's distance-proportional system, each carrier makes its own adjustments and sets and discloses the amount monthly.
This month's applied fuel surcharge was level 18, up 12 levels from level 6 the previous month, but next month's fuel surcharge jumped 15 levels to level 33. This is the largest increase since the current fuel surcharge system was introduced in 2016, and the application of level 33
Accordingly, Korean Air Lines, which released the fuel surcharge first that day, will charge a one-way fuel surcharge of 75,000 to 564,000 won. Short-haul routes such as to Japan will be 75,000 won, while routes to the United States and Europe will be 564,000 won. Korean Air Lines' fuel surcharge for this month was 42,000 to 303,000 won.
Asiana Airlines also said it will impose a one-way fuel surcharge of 85,400 to 476,200 won. Asiana Airlines' fuel surcharge for this month was 43,900 to 251,900 won.
Low-cost carriers (LCCs) such as Jeju Air and T'way Air are also set to release the fuel surcharges to be applied next month within days, and the industry expects sharp increases similar to Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines.