Are flight ticket prices set to surge from April 1? Here’s what the Aviation Minister said about the big change

Air travel in India may become expensive from April 1 as rising aviation fuel costs and global tensions push airlines to revise fares, impacting both domestic and international passengers.

New Delhi: Flying might get more expensive soon. Experts have suggested that due to the hike in global fuel prices, air ticket fares are likely to increase from April 1. On Monday, West Asia continued to witness heightened tensions which have already begun to impact crude oil prices and ATF prices.

Reasons Why Flight Tickets Will Get Costlier

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that air ticket fares will witness an increase from April 1 onwards, when ATF prices are revised.

“As fuel prices have increased it will have an inevitable impact (on airfare) and airlines will increase the prices from April 1 onwards when ATF prices are revised.”

Fuel charges make up almost 35-45% of an airline’s operating expenses – as such, it directly impacts airfare costs.

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“We are witnessing a steep hike in global crude oil prices because of the tensions prevailing in West Asia,” he added.

Also read: Air India and AI Express to run 44 West Asia flights despite Iran conflict disruptions-check full flight details here

Impact Of The Middle East Crisis On India

Iran has been attacking Israel with the support of other global countries including Russia. This has only added to tensions and has affected oil exports from the region – pushing fuel prices higher.

The aviation sector also continues to reel from the impact. Not only are airlines spending more on fuel costs, but they are forced to fly longer routes that avoid the Middle East airspace, thereby impacting revenues. As such, the ticket prices for domestic as well as international flights have been on the rise – and are likely to increase further in the coming weeks.

Air India Increases Fuel Surcharge

Indian carriers like Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa Air have already started levying fuel surcharges. Fuel surcharges differ from route-to-route and distance-wise. At the moment, domestic travellers are paying an additional few hundred rupees to ₹1,100 and above on certain routes. International travellers have seen an even higher increase in fuel surcharges.

Airline Ticket Fares Have Already Gone Up

As of now, the government says that it is monitoring the situation. “We have asked airlines as well as several ministries to see what can be done to ensure that passengers are not unduly impacted while ensuring safe flight operations over the sensitive region.”

Demand For Domestic Flights Is High

Air Turbine Fuel or ATF prices are likely to be revised on April 1. With this development, experts are of the view that ticket fares will also increase. Travelers will have to book their flight tickets in advance as many are still doing so despite the expected rise in fares.

“This round of increase in ATF prices seems inevitable. So if global crude prices soften, you might see some softening in airfares as well.”

Flight ticket fares have already increased. If you’re planning a trip domestically or internationally, book your flight tickets now.

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The Times Of Bengal