Press Trust of India
  
New Delhi, Aug 5: Domestic air fares would go up once again across the board from August 8, when major carriers raise fuel surcharge on tickets from Rs 500 to Rs 650 on account of increase in jet fuel prices.
Public sector Indian and private carriers Jet Airways and Air Sahara have announced a hike of Rs 150 on all types of fares in all classes and on all domestic routes.

The surcharge would not be applicable on sale of tickets made on or before August 7, but would be applicable if tickets are presented for any voluntary change on or after August 8.

For tickets purchased outside India, a surcharge of 14 US dollars would be applicable on domestic travel in India.

This is the second consecutive revision in fuel surcharge in the last two months due to the hike in aviation turbine fuel rates when it was raised from Rs 300 to Rs 500. In the last three years, the fares have gone up five times.

Low-cost carrier Air Deccan said a decision to hike the surcharge would be taken tomorrow, while SpiceJet said though it was contemplating following suit, it would not do so in the immediate future.

For the fifth month in a row, the public sector oil firms raised jet fuel prices in step with rising international crude oil cost.

An official said this is the fifth hike in a row. ATF price in Delhi in March 2006 was Rs 34,995.36 per kilolitre, which went up to Rs 35,826.36 in April, Rs 39,642.24 in May, Rs 40408.02 in June and Rs 41,303.58 per kl in July.

ATF price for domestic airlines in Delhi is now Rs 42367.51 per kilolitre. In Mumbai, it was Rs 43826.43.