Bad news for anyone wanting to book flights in South Africa
Travellers in South Africa face higher airfares as airlines introduce a temporary fuel surcharge following a sharp spike in aviation fuel prices linked to the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
In a statement, FlySafair said that since the conflict erupted on 28 February, airlines around the world have been absorbing steep increases in fuel costs to avoid passing them directly on to passengers.
However, with Jet A1 fuel prices at South African coastal airports rising by roughly 70% in just one week, FlySafair said it has reached the point where some of those costs must be shared with travellers.
As a result, the airline will introduce a temporary fuel surcharge from 12 March 2026. The surcharge will apply only to flights departing on or before 12 May 2026, reflecting the airline’s expectation that the disruption may be short-lived.
“We will be specifically itemising this temporary dynamic fuel surcharge on all tickets to ensure fairness and transparency to our customers,” said Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer at FlySafair.
The airline said the price shock is largely due to disruptions in the Middle East that have effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping route through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil normally flows.
Tanker traffic through the waterway has reportedly collapsed, with estimates suggesting a 70% to 80% drop in shipments.
This disruption has triggered extreme volatility in global oil markets. The price of Brent crude surged above $100 per barrel before easing slightly to around $87. However, aviation fuel prices have reacted even more sharply.
Jet A1 fuel at South African coastal airports has surged by around 70% in a single week, which has placed significant financial strain on airlines.
Fuel accounts for between 50% and 55% of FlySafair’s direct operating costs. At current prices, the airline estimates the spike is adding roughly R35,000 per flight hour for each Boeing 737-800 aircraft in its fleet.
What to expect
FlySafair said it has absorbed these costs since the crisis began but warned that doing so indefinitely would threaten the long-term sustainability of its low-fare model.
The airline said that, unlike many international carriers that routinely adjust ticket prices to reflect fuel costs, it has historically avoided passing fuel price volatility directly on to customers.
“The persistence and scale of these fuel costs have left us with no reasonable alternative,” Gordon said.
“Instead of increasing fares across the board or hiding costs, we have chosen to introduce a clearly labelled, temporary surcharge.”
He added that the approach allows passengers to see exactly what portion of their ticket price relates to the fuel shock while enabling the airline to remove the surcharge once prices stabilise.
The surcharge will apply only to flights departing on or before 12 May 2026 and will be reviewed regularly as jet fuel prices change.
FlySafair said the charge will vary depending on route length to reflect the fuel required for each journey.
“Our teams are modelling fuel prices airport by airport and reviewing potential tankering strategies to ensure the surcharge reflects the minimum required amount,” Gordon said.
“This is not a profit mechanism, it’s a measure to maintain service continuity while being upfront with customers.”
Passengers who have already booked flights will not be affected, with FlySafair confirming that no surcharge will be applied retrospectively.
However, bookings made from 12 March onward will include the surcharge as a separate line item on tickets for flights departing on or before 12 May.
Customers who change existing bookings to flights within that period may also see the surcharge applied.
FlySafair noted that it does not hedge its fuel purchases, meaning it buys fuel at prevailing market prices and is therefore exposed to sudden spikes, such as the current one.
Loading ...