SYDNEY, March 9 (Reuters) - Australia's Qantas Airways said on Wednesday it would raise the fuel surcharge on international flights for the second time in as many months to offset soaring fuel costs.
Qantas, which in early February announced it will raise the surcharge, said this round of increase will not fully recover the fuel price hikes and did not rule out another increase in the charge.
Qantas said it expects its second half fuel cost to rise to A$2 billion ($2.02 billion). It added jet fuel prices have risen 12 percent since early February to $131 a barrel due to tensions in the Middle East.
In February, Qantas raised its international fuel surcharge -- by between 35 and 53 percent depending on the route - and raised domestic fares in response to sharply higher global fuel prices.
($1 = 0.990 Australian Dollars) (Reporting by Narayanan Somasundaram; Editing by Balazs Koranyi)