SHANGHAI, Dec. 2 – Airlines have hiked fuel surcharges by as high as 50 percent for international flights coming from the mainland and Hong Kong.

According to Global Times, Air China increased charges from RMB200 yuan to RMB300 on flights to Singapore and Thailand. Cathay Pacific will implement a fuel add-on for flights less than five hours from HK$71 to HK$75 while flights taking more than five hours will increase from HK$328 to HK$348.

Asiana Airlines will charge higher surcharge on flights from the mainland to South Korea and Japan from RMB200 to RMB250 starting December 14 with extra fee for flights to Europe and Australia increasing RMB500 to RMB600.

“The hike is mainly driven by the soaring price of oil,” said Yao Jun, an analyst from China Merchants Securities told Global Times. “Currently, the fuel surcharge on international flights is adjusted according to market changes, and it is normal to see increases if oil prices rise.”

Retail fuel prices increased only last month to mirror increasing international oil prices with gasoline increasing RMB0.36 per liter and diesel by RMB0.41 yuan per liter.