(Update: Withdrawn) Domestic route fuel surcharge sharply increased from April 5, up to fivefold

Planned hike — then a retraction

It has been reported that Colorful Guizhou Airlines (多彩贵州航空公司) told ticketing agents it would raise domestic route fuel surcharges from April 5, with charges jumping from RMB 10 to RMB 60 for segments of 800 km or less, and from RMB 20 to RMB 120 for longer segments — increases of fivefold and sixfold respectively for the shorter and longer bands. The move, first flagged by financial outlet Yicai and picked up by tech news site IT之家, would be one of the steepest single-step increases in recent memory. Short flights could suddenly carry a much bigger add-on. Who pays the difference? Passengers do.

It has been reported that the airline later issued a follow-up notice saying that the afternoon announcement was void because the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC, 民航局) had withdrawn previously issued fuel guidance; the carrier said it would await a new CAAC directive before issuing any business notices. In other words, the increase was put on hold after regulator intervention.

Industry and policy context

The planned domestic increase mirrors broader moves in the sector: Spring Airlines (春秋航空) reportedly announced large fuel-surcharge hikes on March 25, and carriers including Juneyao Airlines (吉祥航空), China Eastern Airlines (中国东方航空 / 东航), China Southern Airlines (中国南方航空 / 南航) and Loong Air (长龙航空) have raised international-route surcharges, with many increases above 50% and some doubling. These adjustments come amid global fuel-price volatility tied to OPEC+ decisions and geopolitical supply risks, and at a time when Beijing remains sensitive to consumer price shocks. Regulatory pushback from the CAAC underscores the central government’s role in keeping transport costs and inflationary pressures in check.

What this means for travelers and carriers

For passengers, the episode is a reminder that small published fares in China can be quickly altered by per-passenger surcharges — and that such changes are subject to rapid regulatory reversal. For airlines, it highlights the tension between rising input costs and a tightly controlled domestic aviation market where regulators can and do step in to moderate price moves. It has been reported that carriers will wait for formal CAAC guidance; until that arrives, the April 5 hike remains suspended and uncertainty remains for ticketing agents and travelers alike.