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Akasa Air also hikes fares, adds ₹199–1,300 surcharge as West Asia war sets oil prices on fire
Akasa Air spokesperson said: “There has been a significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments.”
Citing a “significant increase in the price of aviation turbine fuel, driven by evolving geopolitical developments”, another Indian airline, Akasa Air, announced a hike in fare on Saturday. With effect from March 15, on all new bookings, it will introduce a fuel surcharge ranging from ₹199 to 1,300 on domestic and international routes, a spokesperson said.
“This will not be applicable for any bookings made prior to 00:01 hrs on March 15, 2026. The fuel surcharge will be applied per sector and will vary based on the duration of the flight,” they clarified, adding, "We will continue to closely monitor the operating environment and review the fuel surcharge periodically."
This comes as almost all leading Indian airlines have levied or hiked fuel surcharges as the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US-Israel bloc sends aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices spiraling.
Akasa Air holds approximately 5% of the Indian aviation market share and operates about two dozen domestic destinations and some international routes focused on the Middle East/West Asia region, including flights to Kuwait, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi.
IndiGo, India's biggest carrier by market share, made the fare-hike move on Friday.
The global prices of ATF, which typically accounts for 40% of an airline's operating expenses, has seen a "sharp surge" since early March 2026 due to regional supply interruptions.
Airfares going up | List and details
Akasa Air has said its tickets will now have additional charge of ₹199 to 1,300. That comes into effect for tickets booked starting March 15.
IndiGo said on Friday it will begin levying a sector-based fuel charge on all domestic and international tickets starting March 14. The sector-wise charges for domestic and Indian subcontinent tickets are ₹425, going up to ₹2,300 for Europe, with other regions in brackets in between.
Air India and AI Express announced a phased rollout of surcharges that began on March 12, 2026. A surcharge of ₹399 now applies to domestic and SAARC routes on its flights. West Asia/Middle East routes attract a $10 surcharge, while Southeast Asia charges rose from $40 to $60. Starting March 18, surcharges on long-haul routes will increase — for Europe it will rise to $125, while North America and Australia will jump to $200. There are future adjustments are planned for Far East markets, including Japan and South Korea, Air India has said.
Budget carrier SpiceJet has warned that airlines have little choice but to impose surcharges if oil remains high. Founder Ajay Singh has urged the government to reduce excise duties and VAT on jet fuel, noting that prices even at $90 per barrel are becoming unsustainable. AirAsia had already confirmed it would raise fares.
Reasons for airfares spiking globally
Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the conflict began on February 28. Also, the industry is grappling with major flight disruptions.
Many carriers are avoiding the West Asian and adjacent airspace due to security concerns, leading to longer, more expensive alternative routes.
Among international carriers, Cathay Pacific plans to double its passenger fuel surcharges on long-haul flights to HK$1,164 starting March 18; and others have made similar moves.
