Thailand-
Thai Airways International (THAI), Thailand’s national carrier, has begun adjusting ticket prices upward by approximately 10-15% on certain routes to reflect sharply higher jet fuel costs driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The adjustment, implemented through the airline’s standard fuel surcharge (ค่าธรรมเนียมน้ำมันเชื้อเพลิง) mechanism, comes as jet fuel (Jet A-1) prices in the Singapore market have more than doubled, from around US$80 per barrel to US$220 per barrel, pushing fuel’s share of per-flight costs from roughly 30% to 40-50%.
Cherdchom Thetsathirasak, Chief Financial and Accounting Officer, confirmed the changes in statements to Thai media, noting that the airline has already started the increases on select routes while maintaining coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to manage the surcharge ceiling.
Chai Eamsiri, CEO, stated that the move is purely to match actual costs and is not opportunistic: We are not taking advantage of the situation; we are simply adjusting to the increased costs. He explained that jet fuel prices have surged nearly 100%, directly impacting every airline.
The airline has hedged approximately 50% of its fuel requirements through June 2026, but volatile prices and rerouting to avoid conflict zones (such as Iranian airspace) have still added marginal costs.
Despite the fare hikes, demand remains strong. Advance bookings for March 2026 are positive year-on-year, with passenger load factors on direct Europe-to-Thailand routes reaching 80-90%. Tickets have become scarce on many services, partly due to spillover demand from travelers avoiding Middle East transit hubs in favor of direct flights.
No flights have been canceled, and the airline is closely monitoring bookings. If oil prices continue rising, THAI may request a higher fuel surcharge cap from CAAT.
Looking ahead, the carrier is pressing forward with expansion plans unaffected by the short-term pressures. Its fleet is set to grow from around 80 aircraft to 102 by the end of 2026 (including 14 new Boeing 787-9 wide-body and 14 Airbus A321neo narrow-body jets), expanding further to 112 in 2027 and 129 in 2028. New routes include Bangkok–Amsterdam and Bangkok–Auckland (Q3 2026), plus additional Asian destinations in China, South Korea, and Vietnam.
Passengers planning international travel, especially to Europe, are advised to book early, as further adjustments could follow if the fuel situation persists. Thai Airways has stressed that the increases are limited to cost recovery and that the airline continues to support Thailand’s goal of becoming a regional aviation hub.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
