Sun Dec 01 09:14:34 UTC 2024: ## Airfares Set to Rise as Aviation Fuel Prices Soar
**NEW DELHI** – Domestic air travelers can expect to pay more for their flights following another significant hike in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices. State-owned oil companies announced a Rs 1,318 per kilolitre increase, effective today, bringing the total increase in just two months to over Rs 4,200. This marks the latest price surge after a period of fluctuation that saw both increases and decreases earlier this year.
The new prices stand at Rs 91,856.84 per kilolitre in Delhi, Rs 94,551.63 in Kolkata, Rs 85,861.02 in Mumbai, and Rs 95,231.49 in Chennai. Airlines, for whom fuel is the second-largest operating cost after labor, will inevitably pass these increased costs onto consumers, resulting in higher airfares.
This latest ATF price hike comes on the heels of a Rs 2,941.5 increase (3.3%) implemented just last month. Oil companies, including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), adjust jet fuel prices on the first of each month.
The increase in ATF prices isn’t the only blow to consumers. Commercial LPG prices have also risen for the fifth consecutive month, increasing by Rs 16.5 per 19-kg cylinder. However, the price of domestic cooking gas remains unchanged at Rs 803 per 14.2-kg cylinder.
First Piper 