From March 12, Air India Flights Get Costlier; Fuel Fee To Be Charged Amid West Asia Conflict

On Tuesday, the Air India Group announced the implementation of fuel charges across its domestic and international airlines, citing a high rise in jet fuel prices due to the ongoing West Asia conflict. Read on to know more about the revised fare charges.

Air India To Raise Fare Due To Fuel Price Hike

According to the Hindustan Times, in a statement released by the airline, it stated that aviation turbine fuel (ATF) has seen a significant price hike due to supply interruptions since early March 2026. The airline will implement fuel surcharges on its flights due to the high excise duty and VAT on ATF in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai, which is affecting airline operations in India.

The revised fuel surcharges will be implemented in three phases and will apply to all flights, including Air India Express. The fuel surcharges will be introduced on several routes, and Phase 1 will be applicable to all new bookings made on March 12 from 0001 hours IST.

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Air India New Fare Charges

SAARC and domestic routes will see a rise of ₹399. International routes to West Asia and the Middle East will see a surcharge of $10 (₹919). Southeast Asia flights will have the price rise from $40 to $60 (₹5,513), while Africa routes will see the surcharge rise from $60 to $90 (₹8,270).

Phase 2 will apply to bookings made from 00:01 hours IST from March 18 onwards, and the surcharges will increase further on long routes. The flights to Europe will have the surcharge increase from $100(₹9,188) to $125(₹11, 485). North American routes will see a rise from $150(₹13,782) to $200(₹18,376), and Australian ones will face the fuel fee from $150(₹13,782) to $200(₹18,376).

Phase 3 will apply to Far East markets like Hong Kong, Japan and others, which will be announced later. The airline also mentioned that tickets issued before the implementation will not face the new surcharge unless passengers plan to make any date changes that require a recalculation of fares.

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According to an NDTV report, Air India stated the move was mandated by factors that are far beyond its control. Air India issued a statement that, in the absence of fuel surcharges, it is likely that some flights would be unable to cover operating costs and would have to be cancelled. Let us know your thoughts on the same.

Cover Image Courtesy: Pexels/Ethan Sarkar (representative image) 

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