On Dec. 17, Hong Kong's aviation authorities gave the go-ahead for four airlines to increase passenger fuel surcharge in January.

The new caps approved for fuel surcharges will be HK$78 (US$10) for short-haul flights and HK$362 (US$46.4) for long-haul flights, which are both 4 percent higher than the current maximum levels.

The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, which gave the green light for the increases on Dec. 17, said it has taken into consideration the changes in fuel prices as well as the charges levied by other airlines.

Compared with the average surcharges at the international level, the surcharges levied by the local airlines remained at a lower level, the department said.

Passenger fuel surcharges are reviewed regularly by the Civil Aviation Department, with the last review done at the end of November.