Airlines raise fuel surcharge

Air-India increases surcharge to $20 from $15 per ticket.

International carriers across the board, including Air-India, Emirates, Sri Lankan Airways, British Airways, Lufthansa, South African Airways and Oman Air, have increased the fuel surcharge on air travel on almost all routes, effective from November 1.

European carriers like Lufthansa and British Airways have increased the fuel surcharge on the India-Europe (one-way) sector to $25 and $20, respectively, from around $10. Air-India has increased the surcharge to $20 from $15 per ticket. In fact, the surcharge Air-India levies on the India-US sector is $30 per ticket.

Emirates has raised the fuel surcharge by $5 to $15 (one way) on all India-West Asia routes. Gulf Air has doubled it to $20 per ticket, while Oman Air has increased it to $15.

Flights within the Gulf region will carry a surcharge of $15. South African Airways has doubled the fuel surcharge to $20 from $10 per ticket on all flights to South Africa out of India.

A surcharge of $15 has been imposed on all routes within Africa. Sri Lankan Airways is charging $20 per coupon on the Mumbai-Colombo-Mumbai route.

Confirming the development, an Air-India spokesperson told Business Standard: "All international carriers have decided to increase the fuel surcharge. The unprecedented increase in aviation turbine fuel charges is being passed on to passengers. There is no other way out."

Adds an executive of a leading European carrier, "We will be in the red if the impact of the fuel price increase is not passed on to the customer."