Air Macau says that it has so far cancelled over 400 return flights scheduled for next month and June, due to soaring jet fuel costs triggered by the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East.
Air Macau told local Chinese-language media late last week that the cancelled flights included 155 international flights to destinations including Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, and flights to various cities in the Chinese mainland.
According to the reports, Air Macau said that it decided to cancel the flights primarily due to the substantial rise in the global average jet fuel price, which had surged from US$97 per barrel in late February to US$205 per barrel last week, an increase of 110 percent.
Air Macau said that this has resulted in a sharp rise in flight operating costs, leaving the airline “with no choice but to adjust” some of its flights. The adjustment and cancellation of certain flights is a common practice within the international aviation industry in response to the pressure of soaring jet fuel costs, Air Macau underlined.
According to the reports, Air Macau said that it will continue to make “dynamic” adjustments to its flight schedules based on future trends in international aviation fuel prices. In response to rising jet fuel costs, Air Macau has prioritised measures such as increasing fuel surcharges and “optimising” ticket prices.
However, Air Macau said, the current increase in fuel surcharges is “no longer sufficient to fully cover the persistently high operating costs” resulting from the soaring jet fuel costs. Furthermore, the airline said, continued increases in fuel surcharges would directly raise travel costs for passengers and then affect their willingness to fly.
With the aim of avoiding last-minute disruptions for passengers and protecting their interests to the greatest extent possible, Air Macau has chosen to adjust flights in advance, allowing passengers more time to plan and modify their itineraries, the airline underlined.
Air Macau said that concerning the flight cancellations scheduled for May and June, all affected passengers have been notified at least two weeks in advance.
For passengers whose flights have been cancelled due to rising fuel prices and commercial operational adjustments, Air Macau has signed mutual transfer agreements with several major airlines, offering a range of travel protection options.
The options, according to the reports, include 1) free transfer to another Air Macau flight to the same destination on the same day or within one day before or after; 2) free transfer to an Air Macau flight to a different destination within the same country or region; 3) free transfer to a same-day flight operated by a partner airline to the same destination, with Air Macau covering the corresponding ground transportation costs for the passengers; and 4) a full refund service with no cancellation fees.
The reports failed to contextualise the cancellations by providing them as a percentage of Air Macau’s total scheduled flights.
This photo taken from Big Taipa Hill earlier this month shows Air Macau jets parked on the local airport’s apron. – Photo: Tony Wong
