Giving a shock to the passengers, the country’s largest airline IndiGo has decided to increase the fuel surcharge on its domestic and international flights. The company has announced to implement this additional fee from March 14, 2026. After this decision, it is considered almost certain that the prices of air tickets will increase.
The airline said that this step has been taken due to the sharp increase in the prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). In recent times, due to increasing tension in West Asia and conflict related to Iran, there has been a huge rise in the prices of crude oil and jet fuel globally. Due to this the operating costs of airlines have increased significantly.
Additional charges will range from Rs 425 to Rs 2,300
Indigo has fixed fuel surcharge according to different routes.
There will be an additional charge of approximately ₹425 on domestic and Indian subcontinent flights.
A fuel surcharge of around ₹900 has been imposed on flights to the Middle East.
This charge will be around ₹1,800 on flights to South-East Asia, China and Africa.
Passengers may have to pay up to ₹2,300 extra on long-haul flights to Europe.
According to the airline, this step was necessary due to the sudden increase in fuel prices. The company says that the actual cost increase is even higher, but a limited surcharge has been imposed so as not to put too much burden on the passengers.
Indigo’s decision after Air India
Before Indigo, Air India has also announced to increase the fuel surcharge on its tickets. Airlines say jet fuel accounts for about 30–40% of their total operating costs, so rising fuel prices have a direct impact on ticket prices.
impact of middle east tension
According to experts, there is instability in the global oil market due to increasing tension between America, Israel and Iran. This has also led to a sharp rise in jet fuel prices and many airlines are having to increase fares or surcharges to balance their expenses.
Airlines say that if fuel prices remain high for a long time, air travel may become more expensive in the future. At present, Indigo has said that it is keeping an eye on the situation and if necessary, the fares can be changed further.