New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Air India group on Tuesday announced a fresh increase in fuel surcharge for both domestic and international flights, days after IndiGo raised similar charges, indicating a broader rise in airfares amid a sharp spike in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices.
The move comes as global jet fuel prices continue to surge, significantly increasing operational costs for airlines. According to the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel rates have nearly doubled within a month, marking one of the steepest hikes in recent years.
For domestic travel, Air India will implement a distance-based fuel surcharge starting April 8, replacing the earlier flat rate. The decision follows measures by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to cap the impact of ATF price increases at 25 percent, offering limited relief to passengers.
Under the revised structure, passengers will be charged ₹299 for flights up to 500 km, ₹399 for 501–1,000 km, ₹549 for 1,001–1,500 km, ₹749 for 1,501–2,000 km, and ₹899 for routes above 2,000 km per sector. These rates will also apply to Air India Express services.
On international routes, where no such cap exists, the airline has introduced steeper surcharges. Air India noted that global jet fuel prices surged to USD 195.19 per barrel by late March, compared to USD 99.40 at the end of February—an increase of nearly 100 percent.
Passengers flying to West Asia will now pay a fuel surcharge of USD 50, while Southeast Asia routes will attract USD 100, and Singapore-bound passengers USD 60. For Africa, the surcharge has been set at USD 130.
Long-haul travel will see the highest increase, with flights to Europe, including the United Kingdom, attracting USD 205 per sector, while routes to North America and Australia will carry a surcharge of USD 280 starting April 10.
Air India stated that the revised surcharge still does not fully offset the rising ATF costs, with the airline continuing to absorb part of the financial burden to prevent sharper fare increases.
Tickets issued before the new charges take effect will remain unaffected unless changes are made requiring fare recalculation.
With both Air India and IndiGo revising fuel surcharges within a short span, airfares are expected to rise across routes, particularly during the peak summer travel season.
