NEW DELHI: Flyers are set to get some relief from the exorbitant air fares levied on most international routes in the last four months ever since the West Asia crisis broke. The fuel surcharge cess, a crucial component of the air fare, has been reduced by the Air India from July 1. The other airlines may follow suit soon as government directives mandate passing on the relief to the customers.
Crude oil prices dipped to less than $70 (Rs 6,666) per barrel on June 30, the lowest since the West Asia conflict began on February 28.
It is reliably learnt that the Air India on Wednesday announced a reduction in its international fuel surcharge cess by 38% for its Europe and UK routes while it is down by 28.5% on the Australia and the North America routes.
“The reduction will definitely be passed on to the customers. Even if it goes down by a small figure, it would be substantial savings for the public as even 10 per cent on a ticket fare of Rs 1 lakh will work out to Rs 10,000 for a flyer,” a source said.
The Air India had officially announced the revision of its fuel surcharge to Europe (including the UK) to $205 (Rs 19,520) per passenger from the midnight of April 10. It has been reduced to $125 (Rs 11,900) now. The airline had also announced then that there would be $280 (Rs 26,664) surcharge for North America and Australia which will now be reduced to $200 (`10,045) “These are substantial reductions,” another source added.
IndiGo did not respond officially on the issue. It is learnt that IndiGo, which is among the three major international airlines from India, also must reduce its international fare as it is a government mandate that “passing through” of the benefit happens to the public, a source said.
The Air India Express said that it would get back on the issue of fare reduction.
Spicejet, which operates to Dubai internationally, said that it had not effected any increase in the international surcharge cess earlier. “We did not increase the prices during the peak of the crisis. So, this does not apply to us.”
The domestic aviation turbine fuel too came down on July 1 from Rs 1.10 lakh per kilo litre from Rs 1.25 per kilo litre. However, it is unlikely that this reduction will be passed on to consumers, said an airline source.
Air India Express on Thursday announced that it has restored connectivity to all destinations across its West Asia network with the resumption of services to Salalah in Oman and Kuwait. Flights on the Kozhikode–Salalah route resume from July 2. Services between Kozhikode and Kuwait resume from July 3, while flights between Bengaluru and Kuwait begin from July 4, with frequencies increasing in phases over the coming days.
The Kozhikode–Salalah service will operate twice every week. Services between Kozhikode and Kuwait will operate once a week from July 3.