Air India on Tuesday announced the revision of its fuel surcharge structure for domestic and international flights, applicable to tickets booked after 9 AM on April 8.
The move comes after the government announced a hike in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices.
Instead of a flat surcharge on domestic flight tickets, the airline operator will levy a fuel surcharge based on distance, in view of the government’s decision to limit the ATF price rise to 25 percent for domestic flights, it said in a statement.
Under the new structure, the fuel surcharge on domestic flights will vary from Rs 299 to Rs 899.
Customers will have to pay a fuel surcharge of Rs 299 for flights up to 500 km, Rs 399 for 501–1,000 km, Rs 549 for 1,001–1,500 km, Rs 749 for 1,501–2,000 km, and Rs 899 for distances beyond 2,000 km. The update will take effect from 9 AM on April 8.
“Following the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas’ and Ministry of Civil Aviation’s decision to cap domestic Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) price hikes at 25 percent, Air India Group is reflecting this calibrated approach, transitioning from a flat domestic surcharge to a distance-based grid,” the company said.
For international flights, the fuel surcharge will be region-based. Flights to SAARC countries (excluding Bangladesh) will attract a surcharge of $24, while flights to West Asia will see a $50 levy.
For flights bound to China and Southeast Asia (excluding Singapore), the airline has set a surcharge of $100, while flights to Singapore will be charged $60.
Routes to Africa will see a $130 surcharge, while flights to Europe, including the UK, will be levied $205.
The fuel surcharge on international flights is significant compared to domestic flights, as no relief has been given to overseas flights.
“In the absence of any such mitigations on international ATF prices, the Air India Group will be implementing more significant changes to fuel surcharges as below,” the company said.
