New Delhi3 minutes ago
- copy link
Air India has increased its fuel surcharge for domestic and international flights. Due to this, air travel will become expensive in the coming days. The airline has taken this decision after the huge increase in the prices of aviation fuel (ATF) in the global market. The new rates will be effective from 8 April 2026.
According to the airline, jet fuel prices have almost doubled in the last few weeks, increasing costs. By the end of March, the average price of jet fuel has reached $ 195.19 per barrel, which was $ 99.40 at the end of February. Earlier recently, Indigo had also increased the fuel surcharge.
What is fuel surcharge? Fuel surcharge is the additional charge that the airline company imposes on you due to the inflation of petrol/diesel. Suppose the air fare is Rs 5000. If petrol becomes too expensive, the company will charge Rs 5000 + fuel surcharge (say Rs 500) for a total of Rs 5500.
Why do you think so? Because due to increase in fuel price the company’s expenses increase. This expense is passed directly to you, which is called fuel surcharge.
Surcharge will be charged according to distance on domestic routes
Air India has scrapped a flat surcharge system for domestic flights. Now passengers will have to pay on the basis of distance. This surcharge will start from ₹299 per passenger, per sector and will go up to ₹899. This rule will apply to Air India as well as its associate airline Air India Express.
Revised fuel charge for domestic routes
| Route/Distance (in Km) | Revised Fuel Charge (in ₹) |
| 0 – 500 Km | ₹299 |
| 501 – 1,000 Km | ₹399 |
| 1001 – 1,500 Km | ₹549 |
| 1501 – 2,000 Km | ₹749 |
| More than 2,000 Km | ₹899 |
Increase of up to $280 on international flights
Fuel surcharge rates have been kept even higher on foreign routes because the government has no control over fuel prices there. For SAARC countries this charge will start from $24. At the same time, for long distance routes like America, Canada and Australia, passengers will have to pay an additional $ 280 (about more than ₹ 23,000).
Surcharge status for other countries:
- Singapore: 60 dollars
- West Asia: 50 dollars
- South East Asia: 100 dollars
- Africa: 130 dollars
- Europe and UK: 205 dollars
Airline said- We are not putting the entire burden on the passengers
The company says that the cost of aircraft fuel has increased not only because of crude oil, but also due to increase in refining margins. “The increased surcharge does not compensate for the entire increased fuel cost. The company is still bearing a part of this burden,” the airline said in a statement. The airline will review these rates from time to time depending on market conditions.
Jet fuel is the biggest expense for airlines.
Due to rising jet fuel prices, airlines around the world have not only increased ticket prices but have also withdrawn their future financial projections. Jet fuel is the biggest expense for airlines. Its share in total operating expenses is 30% to 40%.
This sudden change in oil prices has spoiled the budget of the airlines. Big companies like Air New Zealand and Qantas have also made it clear that they will pass the burden of increased expenses on to the passengers.
Source link
[ad_3]
