Oil hikes force Indian Airlines international surcharge

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The state-controlled carrier is one of many airlines to introduce passenger levies in the wake of escalating oil prices

Indian Airlines has introduced a surcharge on international flights, blaming recent oil price hikes. The move, similar to recent action by Emirates, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Oman Airways and Gulf Air, came into effect yesterday and will add Rs400 ($8.84) to the price of an international return ticket. Passengers flying to the Maldives and Sri Lanka will only pay half the surcharge.

According to The Hindu newspaper, Air India had already enforced a surcharge of $4 per sector, with double the amount for the return ticket on its services to Gulf countries. In the case of US-bound flights, Air India charges $9 for a single flight.