Air tickets get dear after surcharge hike

MUMBAI: Air tickets just got a bit more dearer. With effect from August 19, airlines have hiked the fuel surcharge. In a new circular to travel agents, the airlines intimated that the surcharge has been hiked by Rs 100 till 1,000 kilometers. For flights going beyond 1,000 kilometers, the surcharge has been hiked by Rs 150.

This means that passengers will be paying Rs 1,600 instead of the previous Rs 1,500 as surcharge till 1,000 kilometers . For more than 1,000 kilometers , passengers will be paying Rs 2,550 instead of Rs 2,400.

An Air India (AI) spokesperson said that the charge is being levied on all flights. Tour operators said that the hike may have a negative effect on the passenger traffic as air-tickets are already at an all time high.

“Though the fuel surcharge hike is small, it adds up to the already expensive fares. For passengers, the cost of travel is only rising,” an agent said. Another tour operator, Rajesh Rateria from Cirrus Travels, said that the intimation was sent by the airlines after the surcharge was implemented. “Usually the intimation of hike comes before the implementation. It will be a small but added cost for passengers ,” Rateria said.