As of April 5, passengers who book domestic flights in China will notice a much steeper fuel surcharge added to the ticket price.
Notices published by airlines, including Xiamen Airlines and Hainan Airlines, show the new standard has been raised to RMB60 per flight for routes of 800 kilometers or less, and RMB120 per flight for routes above 800 kilometers.
That marks a sharp jump from the previous domestic surcharge standard of RMB10 and RMB20 respectively, making the increase especially noticeable on shorter trips and multi-leg domestic journeys.
The increase reflects current pressures on global energy markets due to the ongoing conflict in Iran—and across the wider oil-exporting Persian Gulf region.
Some fare categories are treated differently.
Children paying 50% of the adult fare, along with soldiers and police officers who are disabled due to injury in the line of duty, are charged half the standard surcharge—so RMB30 on shorter routes and RMB60 on longer ones.
Infants paying 10% of the adult fare are exempt.
Another detail worth noting: the rule is tied to the original ticket issue date, not simply the travel date.
Airline notices say that if a domestic ticket was issued before April 5 and later changed after that date, the fuel surcharge is generally handled under the original ticket date, with no refund or additional charge on reissued tickets.
[Cover image via Pexels]
