Akasa Air today announced that it will introduce a fuel surcharge on its domestic and international routes for all bookings that are made with effect from 00:01 hours on Sunday, March 15, 2026, amid a steep rise in the prices of jet turbine fuel linked to the prevailing Middle East crisis.
The fuel surcharge, ranging from Rs 199 to Rs 1300, will be applied per sector and will vary based on the duration of the flight, the airline said in a statement.
Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo have also started levying similar charges on domestic and international flight tickets.
“There has been a significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments in the Middle East. As fuel represents a significant portion of airline operating costs, this impacts the cost of operations across the aviation industry,” Akasa Air said in an official statement.
“Given this impact, Akasa Air will introduce a fuel surcharge ranging from INR 199 to INR 1300 on our domestic and international routes, for all bookings that are made with effect from 00:01 hrs on March 15, 2026. This will not be applicable for any bookings made prior to 00:01 hrs on March 15, 2026,” it said.
“At Akasa Air, we remain focused on offering warm and efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable fares while maintaining the highest standards of operational efficiency,” it further stated.
Further, Akasa Air said it would continue to closely monitor the operating environment and review the fuel surcharge periodically.
Earlier on Friday, India’s largest airline IndiGo announced that it will introduce a fuel surcharge on both domestic and international flight tickets starting March 14.
In a statement, the airline said the surcharge will range between Rs 425 and Rs 2,300 depending on the route. The move comes as airlines face increasing operating costs due to the surge in jet fuel prices amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region.
“IndiGo, India’s leading airline, is introducing a fuel charge on domestic and international routes, effective on March 14, 2026,” the airline stated.
“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+ per cent increase in fuel prices for the region,” it added.
IndiGo said the fuel surcharge will be applied to tickets for both domestic and international flights from March 14.
Earlier, Air India and Air India Express also announced the introduction of a fuel surcharge on flight tickets.
The airlines said the surcharge is being implemented due to rising operating costs caused by the sharp increase in jet fuel prices.
According to the airline group, a fuel surcharge of Rs 399 per ticket on domestic flights came into effect from March 12. The same surcharge also applies to flights to destinations in the South Asian region.
For international routes, the surcharge will vary depending on the destination. Flights to West Asia will carry an additional charge of $10 per ticket, while passengers travelling to Africa will see the surcharge increase by $30 to $90.
Services to Southeast Asia will attract a surcharge ranging between $20 and $60.
Airlines said the surcharge will be implemented in phases across different domestic and international routes as they adjust to the higher fuel costs triggered by the geopolitical situation in the region.
(With inputs from agencies)
