Jet fuel fears recede, but air cargo settles into a higher-cost era
The air freight market appears to be moving out of its acute crisis phase, with ...
This week on The Loadstar Snapshot, we look at air cargo fuel surcharges and why airlines are no longer moving in step. Through January and February, major carriers were clustered around HK$3 to HK$4 per kilo. Then, from 20 March, Cathay Cargo lifted its long-haul surcharge from HK$3.2/kg to HK$12.9/kg, while Lufthansa Cargo, Atlas Air, Japan Airlines and China Airlines moved far less. The result was a fourfold spread in the same market. We also examine the jet-fuel spike behind the move, and why reduced hedging across parts of the industry is leaving airlines more exposed to sudden shocks. For shippers, the question is no longer just where fuel prices are heading, but how each carrier chooses to respond.
Read more:
https://theloadstar.com/air-cargo-fuel-surcharges-diverge-sharply-as-oil-price-surges/
Related coverage:
https://theloadstar.com/surging-fuel-costs-lift-spots-for-now/
https://theloadstar.com/index-linked-shippers-warn-carriers-over-double-dipping-on-emergency-bafs/
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Comment on this article
royston stapleton
April 09, 2026 at 2:10 pmAlex: If I had 1000 kilos dead weight and 1500 kilos volume then I get charged by the airline on volumetric chargeable (Correct). So, why do airlines levy a fuel surcharge on my 1500 kilos when it does not add weight to aircraft and the airline already is charging for the “space” through chargebale weight. If I do not add weight then why am I paying a fuel surcharge on volume?
Alex Lennane
April 10, 2026 at 9:19 amGreat question, Roy!