Air India Tickets To Get Costlier As Airline Announces Fuel Surcharge Amid West Asia Crisis
Pune - Bagdogra route launched as Air India Express adds 12 new flights to its network
The airline will introduce a phased fuel surcharge on domestic and international routes starting March 12 due to rising aviation fuel prices.
Air India has announced that flight tickets will become costlier as the airline plans to introduce a fuel surcharge on domestic and international routes amid a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The Tata Group-owned airline said that the price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) — which accounts for nearly 40 percent of an airline’s operating costs — has increased significantly since early March due to supply disruptions linked to the geopolitical crisis.
In a statement issued on March 10, Air India said the new surcharge will be implemented in phases starting March 12, 2026, and will apply to both Air India and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express.
Under the first phase, a fuel surcharge of ₹399 will be levied on all domestic flight tickets, including routes within India and flights to SAARC countries. Earlier, these routes did not carry any fuel surcharge.
For international flights, the surcharge will vary depending on the region.
Flights to West Asia or the Middle East, including destinations such as the UAE, will see a $10 fuel surcharge, which was previously not applied.
Routes to Southeast Asia will see the surcharge increase from $40 to $60, while flights to Africa will see a hike ranging between $30 and $90.
For long-haul routes, the surcharge is also being revised upward. Flights to Europe will see the surcharge increase from $100 to $125, while flights to North America will rise from $150 to $200. Services to Australia will also see the surcharge increase from $150 to $200.
The airline also confirmed that flights to and from Singapore, which currently do not have any fuel surcharge, will now attract the new charge starting with the first phase.
Air India clarified that the surcharge will apply only to new bookings made from March 12 onward. Tickets already issued before the implementation date will not be affected, unless passengers change their travel dates or itinerary, which would require a recalculation of fares.
The airline said the decision was unavoidable given the surge in fuel prices and added that without introducing the surcharge, some flights might not be able to cover operating costs and could face cancellations.
Air India also pointed out that in India, airline operating costs are further affected by high excise duty and VAT on aviation fuel in major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, which increases the financial pressure on airlines.
The company said the surcharge levels will be reviewed periodically, depending on fuel price movements and supply conditions.
