SOUTH African Airways announced on Tuesday that because of dramatic hikes in fuel costs, it is to increase domestic and regional airfares by an average of four percent from January 10. SAA’s vice president for corporate affairs Victor Nosi said the sharp worldwide increase in the cost of a barrel of crude oil from a low of $10 to a high of $26, will add an additional R500-million a year to the airline’s fuel bill. SAA said it has kept the ticket price increase as low as possible to make travel accessible to the ordinary person. Nosi said South African airfares are still among the lowest in the world.