Akasa Air joins Indian airlines to apply fuel surcharges on domestic, international flight tickets amid Iran war

Akasa Air on Saturday announced fuel surcharges of Rs 199-1,300 on domestic and international flights, with effect from March 15, joining major airlines like IndiGo and Air India which introduced similar measures due to rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices triggered by the ongoing Iran-US-Israel war in West Asia.

The airline noted that there has been a significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments in the Middle East. The rise in fuel prices impacts the cost of operations across the aviation industry as fuel represents a significant portion of airline operating costs.

Also read: IndiGo introduces new fuel charge on tickets to ride out ATF price storm unleashed by Iran war


The fuel surcharge will be applied per sector and will vary based on the duration of the flight, Akasa Air said.

"At Akasa Air, we remain focused on offering warm and efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable fares while maintaining the highest standards of operational efficiency. We will continue to closely monitor the operating environment and review the fuel surcharge periodically," it said in a release.

The rise in ticket prices comes as global jet fuel prices reported a surge following escalating geopolitical tensions in the West Asia region, which have disrupted energy supplies and aviation routes.

Earlier on Friday, India's largest airline introduced fuel surcharges for all new bookings starting March 14.

IndiGo said that the levy is aimed at partly offsetting the mounting cost pressure airlines are facing as fuel prices rise and flight operations become more complex due to airspace disruptions.

The West Asia conflict has had major implications for the aviation industry as global airlines faced operational disruptions starting February 28. Due to the US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, a number of countries closed their airspace due to security concerns. As air operations are slowly getting back to normal, the carriers are now battling with higher ATF prices, which is now being passed on to the passengers as 'fuel surcharge'.