Akasa Air will introduce a fuel surcharge on flight tickets in the Rs 199- Rs 1,300 price range for its domestic and international routes, applicable to all bookings made from March 15, 2026 onwards at 12:01 a.m. This will not apply to any bookings made before the aforementioned time.
The firm said that it has introduced this fuel surcharge owing to the prominent price increase in aviation turbine fuel due to "evolving developments in the Middle East".
This is most likely due to the restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz enforced by Iran to put pressure on the US and Israel who are at war with the country. Due to the lack of ships carrying crude oil, the prices of commodities derived from crude have gone up across the globe.
Other airlines such as Air India and IndiGo have also imposed fuel surcharges effective from Saturday.
"This measure is taken due to the significant surge in fuel prices following the ongoing geopolitical issues
in the Middle East. IATA's Jet Fuel Monitor indicates an 85+% increase in fuel prices for the region," IndiGo said in an official statement on Friday.
IndiGo has set a Rs 425 levy for domestic travel, Rs 900 for travel to the Middle East, South East Asia and China and a Rs 1,800 levy on Africa and West Asia, with a trip to Europe costing Rs 2,300 more.
The expansion of the fuel surcharge for Air India and Air India Express is underway in a phased manner is underway in a phased manner.
"Since early March 2026, aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which accounts for nearly 40% of an airline's operating costs, has seen significant price escalation due to supply interruptions. 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 impact and placing substantial strain on airline operating economics," Air India had stated in its release.
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