New Delhi: IndiGo announced on Friday that it will implement fuel surcharges ranging from 425 to 2,300 rupees on domestic and international tickets beginning March 14, citing a sharp increase in aviation fuel costs driven by the conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

The decision is expected to result in higher overall airfares for travellers. Under the new pricing structure, domestic routes and flights within the Indian subcontinent will carry a fuel charge of 425 rupees. Services to the Middle East will see a 900-rupee increase, while flights to Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and West Asia will be subject to a 1,800-rupee levy. Long-haul routes to Europe will incur the highest charge at 2,300 rupees.

Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) typically represents approximately 40% of the operational expenditures for a carrier. In its Friday statement, IndiGo attributed the surcharge directly to the "significant surge in fuel prices following the ongoing geopolitical issues in the Middle East."

Route CategoryFuel Charge (per sector)
Domestic India & Indian Subcontinent₹425
Middle East₹900
South East Asia and China₹1,800
Africa and West Asia₹1,800
Europe₹2,300

"While offsetting the entire impact of this fuel price surge requires a very substantial adjustment to fares, IndiGo has introduced a relatively smaller amount as a fuel charge, keeping in mind the consequential burden on customers," the airline said.

The announcement follows similar measures taken by Air India and Air India Express, both of which introduced fuel surcharges on March 10.

With inputs from PTI