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Travellers planning to fly, whether locally or internationally, should prepare to pay a little more for their tickets. Earlier this month, Airlink reportedly increased fares twice to account for the increase in jet fuel prices. FlySafair has also announced that it will introduce a fuel surcharge on flights starting 12 March.
“The airline is now moving to introduce a temporary fuel surcharge. The surcharge takes effect from 12 March 2026 and will apply only to flights departing on or before 12 May 2026,” Flysafair said in a statement.
“We will be specifically itemising this temporary dynamic fuel surcharge on all tickets to ensure fairness and transparency to our customers,” FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon said.
The surcharge means passengers will need to pay slightly more than they previously did when booking tickets. According to the airline, the adjustment is necessary due to the recent spike in aviation fuel prices.
This marks the first time FlySafair has introduced a fuel surcharge. The airline has long been known for keeping fares as low as possible for travellers across South Africa. However, the recent rise in Jet A1 aviation fuel prices has made it difficult for airlines to absorb the additional costs.
“The persistence and scale of these fuel costs have left us with no reasonable alternative. Instead of increasing fares across the board or hiding costs, we have chosen to introduce a clearly labelled, temporary surcharge. This gives customers full visibility into what they are paying for and allows us to remove the surcharge once prices stabilise,” said Gordon.
Fuel prices surged following conflicts in the Middle East earlier this year, which have disrupted global oil markets and driven up the cost of aviation fuel. As a result, airlines are feeling the financial pressure.
The good news for travellers is that the FlySafair surcharge is temporary. The airline says the additional charge will be reviewed and adjusted once fuel prices begin to stabilise.
For now, travellers planning trips within South Africa or abroad are advised to budget a little extra for flights and keep an eye on ticket prices, as fares may fluctuate with fuel costs.
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