ANA to Raise Fares for Int’L Flights in March

By Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Jan. 20–TOKYO — All Nippon Airways said Friday it will raise fares on its international routes in March by up to 3,000 yen per one-way flight to cover higher fuel costs.

The airline said it expects the fare increase, to be applied to ticketing on March 1 or after, to raise its revenue by 7 billion yen a year.

It is the first time for ANA to raise fares for international flights since last July. Japan Airlines also announced a plan Monday to raise international flight fares.

An ANA official said its fuel costs for fiscal 2006 will rise by 1.5 billion yen from the current fiscal year through March 31 and the amount is too much to be covered by cost-cutting efforts by a single company.

To be raised under the new step are fees collected from passengers for higher fuel costs, a surcharge levied separately from regular flight fares.

ANA will raise such surcharges from 700 yen to 1,300 yen for short-haul routes including between Japan and South Korea.

The surcharges will be raised from 5,000 yen to 8,000 yen for flights bound for Europe, North America, Hawaii and the Middle East.

ANA also said it will cut the fares if fuel prices, which currently stand at around $75 per barrel, stay below $65 for about 30 days in a row.

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