Cathay Pacific Airways announced on its website that it will implement reductions to fuel surcharges on most passenger itineraries beginning July 16. The Hong Kong carrier said the move affects multiple long-haul and regional sectors.
For travel between Hong Kong and North America, Europe, the southwest Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, the surcharge will be cut from HK$1,164 to HK$965 - a reduction of about 17% (from $148.47 to $123.09). The airline applied a similar percentage decrease for flights between Hong Kong and the South Asian subcontinent, trimming that surcharge from HK$541 to HK$448.
Surcharges for travel from Hong Kong to mainland China will remain at HK$165, while the reverse leg will keep an unchanged charge of 135 yuan ($19.87). Other routes will see the fuel component reduced from HK$290 to HK$241.
The airline highlighted the link between these adjustments and recent moves in jet fuel markets. Jet fuel prices roughly doubled from the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in late February to early June, before easing after Washington and Tehran reached an interim peace deal. In some markets, prices have retreated to about half their peaks, though they remain elevated relative to pre-war levels.
This latest revision marks the third occasion Cathay has lowered fuel surcharges since the onset of the Middle East crisis; the carrier previously made reductions effective on May 16 and July 1. Cathay said it will continue to reassess the surcharge every two weeks to more closely align passenger levies with jet fuel price movements.
Operationally, the carrier has also signalled a phased return to the region. Last week Cathay said it would resume passenger flights to the Middle East starting September 1, and its cargo division, Cathay Cargo, intends to restart freighter services to Riyadh from August 1.
As explained by the airline, the surcharge adjustments are responsive to recent fuel cost swings tied to geopolitical developments and subsequent diplomatic progress. Cathay's biweekly review cadence is intended to keep the passenger surcharge more closely calibrated to market-driven jet fuel price changes.