Air fares up as oil prices rise globally

Mumbai, Apr 27 (UNI) Air fares in the country will go up from next week due to rising oil prices worldwide.

Jet Airways, India's largest carrier, today announced a fuel surcharge of Rs 300 on all domestic flights from May 1.

Its chief executive officer Wolfgang Prock Schauer said the surcharge will apply on all types of fare levels for both club premiere and economy class tickets.

"This surcharge has been necessiated by the continued escalation in air turbine fuel (ATF) prices," he told reporters on the sidelines of an aviation investors' meet here.

The fuel surcharge will be levied on all tickets purchased within and outside India, issued against both Indian rupees and US dollar tariffs. Rs 300 will be collected per flight coupon on all domestic routes within India.

For tickets issued outside India, the same will be converted into local currency by using the applicable exchange rate.

Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 43 classic and next generation Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 aircraft, three A340-300 E aircraft and eight modern ATR72-500 turboprop aircraft. About 30,000 passengers travel daily on Jet Airways' 320 flights to 48 destinations.

Meanwhile, low cost airline SpiceJet hiked the fuel surcharge by Rs 50 and 100. For journeys less than 1,000 KM, it currently charges 150. For over 1,000 km, it is Rs 300. SpiceJet said the increase is immediate from today onwards.

Global Brent crude has been trading around 73 dollars a barrel, up 38 per cent in the past one year.

Value carrier Kingfisher and low-cost carrier Air Deccan also said there are plans to impose fuel surcharge in the range of Rs 300 per flight coupon from May 1.

But government-owned Indian said no decision has been taken in this regard so far.

UNI SU ARB RK1808