Air India Group on Tuesday revised its fuel surcharge structure across domestic and international routes amid high jet fuel costs due to the Iran war. Starting 9:00 a.m. April 8, the Tata Group airline will levy a surcharge of Rs 299 to Rs 899 based on distance. In early March, Air India and Air India Express introduced a flat surcharge of Rs 399 on domestic tickets.
Tickets that have already been issued prior to April 8 will not attract the new surcharge unless customers seek date or itinerary changes that require a recalculation of the fare, Air India clarified in its statement.
The government last month capped domestic Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) price hike at 25%. Air India said its latest revision "is reflecting this calibrated approach, transitioning from a flat domestic surcharge to a distance‑based grid".
Air India Fuel Surcharge For Domestic Flights:
- For flights between 0–500 km: Rs 299
- For flights between 501–1000 km: Rs 399
- Flights between 1001-1500 km: Rs 549
- Flights between 1501-2000 km: Rs 749
- Flights beyond 2000 km: Rs 890
Air India Fuel Surcharge For International Flights:
- SAARC (excluding Bangladesh) $24
- West Asia/Middle East $50
- China and SE Asia $100
- Singapore $60
- Africa $130
- Europe $205
- North America $280
- Australia $280
Air India will revise fuel surcharge on flights to and from Bangladesh and Far East destinations, namely Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, in due course subject to the requisite regulatory approvals.
According to the latest data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global average jet fuel price has nearly doubled to $195.19 per barrel for the week ending March 27, up from $99.40 at the end of February.
ATF, produced by refining crude oil, has seen simultaneous increases in both its crude oil component as well as the refinery margin, known as 'crack spread', with the latter having nearly tripled within three weeks, Air India said. The price increased from $27.83 per barrel for the week ending Feb. 27 to $81.44 for the week ending March 27.
This steep rise compounds the impact of rising crude oil prices, creating one of the most challenging fuel cost environments that airlines globally have faced in recent years, the airline said.
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