SIA to differentiate fuel surcharges according to class of travel
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 04 November 2008 1923 hrs

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SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines said it will differentiate fuel surcharges according to passengers' class of travel. This is to fairly impute fuel-related costs as the space and weight occupied in each class is different.

Business class passengers will pay between US$4 and US$10 less than first class passengers, while economy class passengers will pay between US$8 and US$15 less than first class passengers. Usually, the amount of fuel surcharges a passenger pays depends on the length of the journey.

The move came as the carrier announced on Tuesday that it is lowering its fuel surcharges for business and economy class passengers across all routes from November 7.

SilkAir is also making a similar move.

SIA said the fuel levy will be reduced by between US$4 and US$15 for flights from Singapore to Southeast Asia, Europe, South Africa, North America as well as other destinations, including East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The carrier is also cutting the levy on flights between Dubai and Istanbul, Dubai and Moscow, and from Bangkok to Tokyo, it said in a statement.

First class passengers will continue to pay the same fuel surcharges of between US$36 and US$100.

The reductions in the fuel levy followed sharp falls in oil prices from historic peaks of above US$147 in July.

London's Brent crude sank below US$59 a barrel on Tuesday to US$58.38, its lowest point since February 2007 on concerns over weak energy demand in Europe and the United States. - CNA/AFP/ls