Hong Kong  - Nearly 50 airlines were Wednesday preparing to add hefty surcharges to flights out of Hong Kong from next week after applications for bigger fuel surcharges by 34 more airlines were approved.

The move by airlines including British Airways, Qantas, Air France and China Airlines follows successful applications by 13 other airlines earlier this week to raise fuel surcharges by up to 37 per cent.

The territory's Civil Aviation Department approved the increased surcharges, the biggest increases ever seen in the city of 6.9 million, because of the sharp rises in oil prices.

Flights out of Hong Kong will from next Monday cost an average 52 US dollars more for a short haul flight and 133 US dollars more for a long haul flight. The increased surcharges have initially been approved until July 31.

Tony Tyler, chief executive of Hong Kong's flagship airline Cathay Pacific which was among the first airlines to apply for the increase, said earlier this week fuel prices rises were "posing an enormous challenge to the aviation industry."

Jet fuel prices now accounted for 40 per cent of Cathay Pacific's net operating costs compared with just 30 per cent in 2007, he said. The cost of flying a jumbo jet to London and back from Hong Kong now costs 360,000 US dollars in fuel alone. (dpa)