Amid reports that price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, has been more than doubled to a record Rs 2.07 lakh per kilolitre, driven by the surge in global oil prices linked to the widening West Asia conflict, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has clarified that the only a partial and staggered increase has been passed to the airlines.ย Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have removed their earlier rate announcement for ATF. New rates now announced by them are as follows –ย Delhi: Rs 1,04,927 per kl, Kolkata: Rs 1,09,450 per kl, Mumbai: Rs 98,247 per kl, Chennai: Rs 1,09,873 per kl. According to OMCs, the revised rates take effect today, i.e., April 1, 2026.
Aviation turbine fuel (ATF), being a completely deregulated product, is priced at prevailing benchmark international prices. This is in accordance with a written understanding with the airlines.
Here’s what the government said
Commenting on the ATF price hike, the government in India deregulated prices in 2001 and revised them monthly on a formula based on international benchmarks.ย
“Due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the extraordinary situation in global energy markets, the price of ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) for domestic markets was expected to increase by more than 100% on 1 April. In order to insulate the domestic travel costs from the substantial increase in international prices, PSU Oil Marketing Companies of the Ministry of Petroleum, in consultation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, have passed only a partial and staggered increase of 25 per centย (only Rs15/litre) to the airlines. Foreign routes will pay for the full increase in ATF prices consistent with what they pay in other parts of the world,” the ministry said in a post on X.
For domestic airlines, the increase would only be 8.5 per cent.
Domestic airlines will pay half of what other carriers, such as non-scheduled, ad hoc, and charter, would pay. For them, the prices have gone up by Rs 110,703.08 per kl, or 114.5 per cent, to Rs 207,341.22 per kl.
While foreign airlines and other carriers would pay market rates, prices for domestic airlines have been moderated.