ISLAMABAD: Pakistani travelers are facing higher airfares as airlines impose fuel surcharges and flight cancelations mount amid jet fuel price spikes and airspace disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict, industry officials said this week.
Jet fuel this month surged in Pakistan from ₨188.93 to ₨342.32 per liter, according to local media reports. It followed global oil and airspace disruptions amid ongoing United States-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s counterattacks in the Gulf.
Aviation fuel typically accounts for 30–40 percent of an airline’s operating expenses, which means the recent price surge has significantly affected the cost for Pakistani carriers, according to industry experts.
Abdullah Hafeez, a spokesman for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), said air carriers have not formally increased base ticket prices but have introduced a fuel surcharge to offset the impact of higher aviation fuel costs.
“Airlines have imposed a fuel surcharge to the tune of $20 to $100 per leg on domestic and international flights to mitigate the effects of jet fuel price increase, which means a two-way ticket will be expensive by $40 to $200, depending on distance and route,” he said.
