Hong Kong Airlines raises surcharges by up to 35 per cent as US-Israel strikes on Iran send oil prices soaring
Middle East Conflict Sends Hong Kong Airfares Higher
Hong Kong Airlines has become the first local carrier to raise its fuel surcharges following the surge in oil prices triggered by US and Israeli military strikes on Iran in late February 2026. The increases, which take effect from March 12 on tickets issued from that date, are sharp and will hit passengers on some routes particularly hard. The announcement is a reminder of how conflicts thousands of kilometres away translate directly into higher costs for travellers, businesses, and ultimately consumers across Hong Kong.
Who Gets Hit and By How Much
The most severe increases fall on travellers flying between Hong Kong and South Asian destinations. Surcharges on routes to the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal will rise by 35.2 per cent, climbing from HK$284 to HK$384 per trip. Passengers flying to East and Southeast Asian destinations including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore will face charges of HK$212, up HK$50 or roughly 31 per cent. Long-haul routes to North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East will see surcharges rise from HK$589 to HK$739, an increase of 25.5 per cent. The announcement came less than two weeks after the previous surcharge levels took effect on March 1, underscoring how quickly the situation is moving.
The Oil Price Shock and Its Origins
Oil prices have surged since the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran in late February. The strikes, aimed at Iran’s nuclear programme, escalated an already tense regional situation and introduced new uncertainty about the security of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s crude oil passes. For airlines, which typically spend 20 to 30 per cent of their operating costs on fuel, a sharp and sustained oil price spike is a serious threat to profitability. Fuel surcharges are the industry’s most direct mechanism for passing some of that cost increase on to passengers rather than absorbing it entirely in the operating budget.
The Broader Impact on Hong Kong’s Economy
Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, with Hong Kong International Airport handling tens of millions of passengers each year and serving as a major cargo transit point for the Asia Pacific region. Higher airfares affect not just leisure travellers but the business travellers, expatriates, and international visitors whose spending is an important part of the city’s service economy. The travel and tourism sector has been working hard to rebuild since the devastation of the pandemic years. A sustained increase in fuel costs could slow that recovery.
Competition and Consumer Choices
Hong Kong Airlines is the first local carrier to move, but it is unlikely to be the last. Cathay Pacific and other carriers operating out of Hong Kong International Airport will face the same cost pressures and are expected to review their own surcharge structures in the coming weeks. Passengers with flexibility in their travel dates or routes may find some advantage in booking sooner rather than later, before other carriers follow. The International Air Transport Association has consistently warned that oil price volatility poses one of the most significant systemic risks to aviation sector profitability and consumer airfare levels.
A World on Edge
The fuel surcharge story is ultimately a story about what happens to ordinary people — travellers, families, small businesses — when geopolitical crises unfold. The Middle East conflict is devastating in its own right: civilian populations in Iran and the wider region are facing the consequences of decisions made by governments and military commanders far removed from the lived experience of ordinary people. The ripple effects reach Hong Kong in the form of a line item on an airline booking page. That connection between global conflict and local cost should not be taken for granted. Freedom House has long documented how authoritarian governance and geopolitical instability are connected, and how the costs of those instabilities are borne disproportionately by ordinary citizens rather than by those who hold power. The same principle applies when the costs arrive at an airport check-in desk.
Michelle Wong
International News & Human Rights Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: michelle.wong@appledaily.uk
Michelle Wong is an international news and human rights journalist with experience covering cross-border issues, international advocacy, and global civil rights developments. She trained at a leading UK journalism institution, focusing on international reporting standards, source verification, and human rights frameworks.
Her reporting career includes contributions to Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese publications, covering international sanctions, asylum issues, transnational repression, and global human rights policy. Michelle’s work is grounded in primary sources, expert interviews, and international legal documentation.
She has worked in newsroom environments requiring careful coordination across regions and languages, giving her practical experience in verification and ethical reporting. Her authority is reinforced by consistent publication within reputable media organizations.
At Apple Daily UK, Michelle Wong delivers credible international journalism rooted in professional experience, subject-matter expertise, and adherence to global reporting standards.
