Akasa Air joins Air India, IndiGo in levying fuel surcharge
Air travelers are set to face higher ticket costs from Sunday. After Air India group and IndiGo moved to pass on part of the fuel cost burden to passengers, Akasa Air on Saturday announced to levy a fuel surcharge between Rs 199 and Rs 1,300 on its domestic and international flights from Sunday. There has been a significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments in the Middle East.
Akasa’s decision comes after larger Indian carriers Air India Group and IndiGo also moved to pass on part of the fuel cost burden to passengers. The airline said the change would apply to both domestic and international flights starting March 15.
“With oil prices skyrocketing, rupees crashing to new lows every day, longer routes due to airspace restrictions and uncertainty of schedules, costs have reached a tipping point for airlines,” said an aviation expert defending the hike.
In a post on X, the airline said it will levy fuel surcharges ranging from Rs 199 to Rs 1,300 on domestic and international flight tickets from March 15 due to the spike in jet fuel prices amid the West Asia conflict.
The airline said the surcharge will apply to all bookings made from 00:01 hrs on March 15, 2026, and will not be applicable to tickets booked before that time.
The airline said the additional charge will be levied per sector and will vary depending on the duration of the flight. “There has been a significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments in the Middle East,” Akasa Air said in its statement. “As fuel represents a significant portion of airline operating costs, this impacts the cost of operations across the aviation industry,” it added.
The airline said it remains focused on offering “warm and efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable fares while maintaining the highest standards of operational efficiency”, and added that it will continue to monitor the operating environment and review the fuel surcharge periodically. The announcement comes less than a day after IndiGo introduced a fuel surcharge range between Rs 425 and Rs 2,300 per passenger, depending on the route and distance of travel. IndiGo said it has opted for a “relatively smaller amount” rather than trying to offload the full shock of the surging aviation turbine fuel price.
Air India has also announced a phased expansion of fuel surcharges on both domestic and international routes due to the steep rise in jet fuel prices.
The airline noted in a statement that ATF (which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of its operating costs) has witnessed a significant price escalation since early March 2026 due to supply interruptions.
According to the statement, the new fuel surcharge will be implemented in three phases. It will apply to travel on all flights — including those operated by Air India Express.
Attacks on commercial shipping and oil infrastructure in the Gulf region, along with disruption through the Strait of Hormuz, have tightened supplies and driven a steep increase in fuel prices. Airlines are also facing added operational costs due to airspace restrictions and longer rerouted flights, which burn more fuel.
