Air India to introduce fuel surcharge on tickets: How much will your international flight cost?

Airfares are set to rise as Air India will start levying a fuel surcharge on flight tickets from March 12 following a rise in jet fuel prices linked to the geopolitical situation in the Gulf region.

The surcharge will apply to both international and domestic routes, with passengers on several overseas sectors set to see higher charges in a phased rollout.

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International flights: What passengers will pay

In the first phase starting March 12, passengers travelling to West Asia will pay a fuel surcharge of US $10. The charge for Africa flights will increase by US $30 to US $90, while services to Southeast Asia will see a US $20 hike, taking the surcharge to US $60.

The airline group said the change will also apply to flights to and from Singapore, where currently there is no fuel surcharge.

In the second phase from March 18, the surcharge for long-haul routes will increase further. Europe flights will see the surcharge rise to US $125 from US $100, while North America routes will increase to US $200 from US $150. The surcharge for Australia services will also increase from US $150 to US $200.

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Domestic and regional routes

For domestic travel, a fuel surcharge of Rs 399 per ticket will be imposed from March 12. The same charge will apply to flights within the SAARC region.

Currently, Air India Express does not levy fuel surcharges on any of its flights, but the new decision will introduce the charge as part of the group’s phased rollout.

Price surge due to rising fuel costs

Explaining the move, Air India said rising fuel prices have forced airlines to review fares.

“Without such surcharges, it is likely that some flights would be unable to cover operating costs and would have to be cancelled,” the airline said.

The airline group stated that Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which accounts for nearly 40% of an airline’s operating costs,

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“In India, this pressure is amplified by high Excise Duty and VAT on ATF in major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, magnifying the cost impact and placing substantial strain on airline operating economics,” the statement said.

Tickets already issued not affected

The airline clarified that tickets issued before the surcharge takes effect will not attract the new charge. However, passengers who make date or itinerary changes requiring a fare recalculation may have to pay the revised surcharge.