Due to the ongoing tension and war-like situation in the Middle East, there has been a sudden huge jump in the prices of aviation fuel (ATF) in the international market. Airlines are now putting the burden of this additional cost directly on the shoulders of common passengers. After the country’s major airlines Air India and Indigo, now Akasa Air has also announced to charge additional ‘fuel surcharge’ from its passengers.
new charges of akasa air
According to the recent statement issued by the spokesperson of Akasa Airlines, the new fuel charge will be applicable on ticket booking from March 15. This rule will apply equally not only to domestic but also to international flights. The only relief is that passengers who have booked their tickets before March 15 will not have to pay this additional fee. This surcharge will be decided on the basis of the route and distance of each flight. Its simple mathematics is that the longer your flight, the more surcharge you will have to pay. Akasa Air passengers will now have to pay extra Rs 199 to Rs 1300 on their tickets.
Indigo also imposed fuel surcharge
Aviation companies say that the biggest expense in the operation of any airline is aviation turbine fuel. This sudden increase has shaken the entire budget and network system of the airlines. To compensate for this huge expense, Indigo has also taken the strict step of increasing fuel duty on all its domestic and international routes from 12:01 am on March 14, 2026.
According to IndiGo’s new rate card, passengers will have to pay an additional charge of Rs 425 for flights within India and the Indian subcontinent. At the same time, this charge has been fixed at Rs 900 for Middle East, Rs 1800 for South-East Asia and China, Rs 1800 for Africa and West Asia, and Rs 2300 for flights going to Europe. Passengers booking tickets from tomorrow will have to shell out much more than before.
Air India was the first to start this series
This criss-crossing of passengers’ pockets had started on March 12 itself. Air India and Air India Express were the first to decide to impose additional fuel charge of Rs 399 on flight tickets. The company had clarified that the new surcharge system will not be implemented outright but will be implemented gradually in a phased manner. Under the first phase, Rs 399 is being added per ticket on domestic flights within India and all flights towards SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries from March 12.