As oil prices continue to fall, airlines will not impose fuel surcharges on international and domestic airline tickets issued in May, according to the industry Friday.

Fuel surcharges are imposed in steps when the average value per gallon (3.785 liters) of Singapore’s jet fuel is 150 cents and over. From March 16 to Wednesday -- the period that determines fuel surcharges for international routes for May -- the average price of Singapore’s jet fuel was $27.60 per barrel and 65.72 cents per gallon.

This is the second consecutive month for international routes to be free of fuel surcharges. No fuel surcharges will be applied to domestic routes as well for the first time since June 2016.

While the zero fuel surcharges for the month will alleviate the burden on travelers, it is unlikely to prop up the airline industry, with international passengers plunging more than 95 percent on-year in the past month from the coronavirus pandemic, according to industry watchers. 

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)