Air India Group to Operate 80 West Asia Flights Amid Regional Tensions

New Delhi: Air India and Air India Express will operate 80 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from West Asia this Saturday. Despite the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, both carriers are maintaining high-volume operations across the region.

Flight Breakdown for March 14

The Air India group confirmed it will maintain its regular services while adding extra capacity to key destinations:

• Jeddah: Air India will fly one round-trip from Delhi and two from Mumbai. Air India Express will operate round-trips from Kozhikode and Mangaluru.

• Muscat: Air India Express will run scheduled round-trips from Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Mumbai.

• Additional Flights: The group plans to operate 62 non-scheduled flights to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, pending slot availability and local conditions.

“We are operating these flights with full permission from Indian and local regulatory authorities,” the airline stated. The group is also exploring further ad-hoc flight opportunities across West Asia.

Fuel Surcharges Hit Travelers

Rising geopolitical tensions have spiked aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, forcing major airlines to pass costs to passengers.

IndiGo’s New Charges Starting March 14, IndiGo will apply a fuel surcharge on all tickets. Passengers will pay between Rs 425 and Rs 2,300 extra, depending on the route distance.

Air India Group’s Charges Air India and Air India Express have already implemented similar measures:

• Domestic & South Asia: A flat fee of Rs 399 (effective March 12).

• West Asia: An additional $10 per ticket.

• Southeast Asia: Surcharges between $20 and $60.

• Africa: The highest increase, ranging from $30 to $90.

Airlines cite the surge in operating costs linked to Gulf region instability as the primary driver for these price hikes.