KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — Air travellers in Malaysia may soon face slightly higher ticket costs as local airlines adjust fuel surcharges in response to rising jet fuel prices triggered by recent developments in the Middle East.

According to The Star, Malaysia Airlines will implement the surcharge increases in two phases. 

Phase 1, effective yesterday, applies to all points of sale except Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, while Phase 2, starting March 25, covers those excluded markets. 

The surcharges affect tickets issued on or after the respective dates, with domestic flights set at RM36 for business class and RM18 for economy, and higher rates for regional and long-haul destinations. 

For example, flights to North Asia and Greater China carry surcharges of RM90 for business and RM80 for economy, while journeys to Australia, New Zealand and Europe are RM130 and RM110 respectively. 

Flights to Qatar see surcharges of RM823.62 for business and RM431.42 for economy.

Other carriers are following suit. 

Firefly, a unit of Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd, will adjust fuel surcharges in stages matching Malaysia Airlines’ timeline, while Batik Air has issued memos detailing phased increases for all domestic and international routes. 

New surcharges include RM50 for domestic flights, RM80 for Malaysia-Asean destinations, RM100 for Malaysia-Australia, and RM80 for flights to the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia, with China and Taiwan priced at RM90. 

Additional surcharges of RM90 will apply to flights from March 25 for Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.

Industry sources noted that fuel prices at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 have nearly doubled in recent weeks, rising from RM2.33 per litre during March 3-9 to RM4.23 per litre from yesterday until March 16 — an increase of almost 83 per cent. 

Carriers are still subsidising fares, with the source adding that the surcharge adjustments cover only part of operational costs.

Malaysia Airlines emphasised in a memo that “our operations remain fully intact, with flights to and from Europe and across our global network continuing to perform with strong operational reliability,” and reaffirmed that “safety remains our highest priority.”