Porter Airlines restores $40 fuel surcharge on rewards bookings after brief July reduction

Porter Airlines has increased its fuel surcharge for reward bookings back to $40 just weeks after cutting it in half, citing a sharp spike in global jet fuel prices.

In March, Porter Airlines announced a $40 temporary fuel surcharge on VIPorter reward flight redemptions in response to global aviation fuel prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In June, the airline cut the surcharge by half to $20 in an email to customers.

But those changes didn't last long. On July 11, Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was closed once again after being hit with multiple strikes by the United States. The International Air Transport Association stated that as of the week of July 17, jet fuel prices had risen 17.6 per cent compared to the week before.

On July 18, Porter emailed customers stating it was once again increasing the fuel surcharge for VIPorter reward flight redemptions to $40, effective July 17. "We truly hoped our next update would confirm that full removal," the airline said in the email. "However, the global oil market has since experienced unexpected and sharp price increases. To ensure we can continue offering the full value of your VIPorter points during this period of rising jet fuel prices, we must temporarily readjust the surcharge to $40."

The surcharge does not apply to regular bookings made without redeeming points. The airline said it remains committed to removing the surcharge entirely when market conditions allow.