Air India changed the fuel surcharge system… flight tickets will become expensive from April 8, fare will increase according to distance.

For those traveling by air, travel may become expensive in the coming days. After the sharp rise in jet fuel prices at the international level, airlines companies have now started changing their fares. In this series, Air India has also taken a big decision regarding its fuel surcharge, which will have a direct impact on the passengers’ pockets.

Air India has announced that it will abolish its old flat fuel surcharge system from 8 April 2026. In its place, a new slab system will now be implemented on the basis of distance. This means that now the additional ticket charge will depend on the distance you are travelling. This change will be applicable to both domestic and international flights.

Effect of costlier jet fuel

In recent times, jet fuel prices have almost doubled globally. The main reason for this is said to be the increasing tension and conflict between America and Iran. Due to increase in fuel prices, the cost of airlines has also increased significantly, due to which they have to pass this additional burden on the passengers.

When will the new rules come into effect

Tata Group-owned Air India said that this new system will be implemented on domestic flights from April 8. At the same time, this change will be implemented on major international routes from April 10. The company says that due to the rising prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) it became necessary to take this step.

New slab for domestic flights

Under the new rules, now less fuel surcharge will have to be paid on short distance flights and more on long distance flights. For example, for journeys ranging from 0 to 500 kilometres, passengers will have to pay an additional Rs 299. At the same time, for flights distance of more than 2000 kilometers, this fee can increase up to Rs 899. The government has limited the increase in ATF prices at the domestic level to 25 percent, which has definitely brought some relief, but the increase in fares is still considered certain.

Impact on international travel also

This will impact not only domestic but also international flight fares. It is estimated that the price of international tickets may increase from Rs 2200 to Rs 26,000. Due to this, passengers traveling abroad will have to bear higher expenses.

What is fuel surcharge?

Fuel surcharge is an additional fee that airlines add to tickets due to rising fuel prices. When petrol or jet fuel becomes expensive, companies collect this charge from passengers to balance their expenses. That means, apart from the basic price of the ticket, you also have to pay this additional amount.