KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Malaysia will reintroduce fuel surcharges on all domestic and international flights commencing March 8, 2022, to offset the escalating jet fuel prices, which has exceeded US$120 per barrel.
The airlines said the fuel surcharges would be applicable for new flight bookings made on and after March 8, 2022.
All bookings made before March 8, 2022, will not be affected.
AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Riad Asmat said since the airlines last abolished fuel surcharges in 2015 when the global fuel price was at US$48 a barrel, it has faced numerous occasions when the fluctuations have caused other airlines to start imposing surcharges.
He said AirAsia has been absorbing past increases in oil prices to continue to provide the best value to our guests.
"Unfortunately, the current situation where the oil price has shot up more than 160 per cent than what it was in 2015 has made it no longer sustainable," he said.
Riad said AirAsia hoped this would only be a temporary measure.
He said AirAsia would continue to ensure its fares remain as low as possible despite the fuel surcharge while other carriers are already adjusting fares and increasing fuel and admin charges to counter rising operating costs as early as 2018.
"Even when faced with the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, we still managed to deflect the rising operational costs and continued to offer low fares to the people.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and at the same time capitalise on technological and digital innovations as ways to keep costs at bay and make air travel affordable for everyone," he added.