Airlines Increase Flight Fares

Amid ongoing tensions in West Asia, airline companies already under operational pressure are now facing an additional burden due to rising fuel costs. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices have surged significantly, registering an increase of nearly 115% at the international level. However, the central government has provided partial relief to domestic airlines by limiting the price hike for domestic operations to just 8.5%, instead of passing on the full increase.

Oil companies, which revise ATF prices on the first of every month in line with global crude oil trends, have implemented a steep hike this time. In Delhi, the price of ATF per kilolitre has risen from ₹96,638 to ₹2,07,341.22, marking a sharp increase of ₹1,10,703.08. This is the first time ATF prices have crossed the ₹2 lakh mark. To ease the burden on domestic passengers, the Ministry of Petroleum has decided to implement the hike in a phased manner. Currently, the increase has been capped at around 8.5%, with a gradual rise of ₹15 per litre.

For international routes, however, the full price increase will be applied in accordance with global pricing norms, officials clarified. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu also confirmed this development. Fuel costs account for nearly 40% of airline operating expenses and with rerouting of flights due to West Asia tensions, operational costs have already increased. In this context, several airlines have introduced fuel surcharges on tickets. As of now, there has been no official response from airlines regarding the latest price hike.