Air India Express Faces Landing Incident; Announces Fuel Surcharge Expansion

An Air India Express flight en route from Hyderabad to Phuket encountered a landing issue on Wednesday, resulting in the aircraft being stranded at Phuket International Airport due to a technical problem with its nose wheel. An Air India Express spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, "Our Hyderabad-Phuket flight on 11 March faced a nose wheel issue at Phuket Airport. The crew adhered to all protocols, and passengers were deplaned. We express gratitude to our guests, Phuket airport authorities, and all stakeholders for their cooperation."

In related news, Air India announced on Tuesday that it would gradually increase fuel surcharges on domestic and international routes, driven by a steep rise in jet fuel prices due to the geopolitical climate in the Gulf region. According to the airline, the price surge has significantly affected aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which comprises roughly 40 percent of an airline's operational costs. The statement underscored that in India, this burden is intensified by high Excise Duty and VAT on ATF in major metros like Delhi and Mumbai, exacerbating airline economic pressures.

Starting from March 12, the inaugural phase will impose a fuel surcharge on new bookings for domestic routes and SAARC countries of Rs 399, while flights to West Asia and the Middle East will incur a USD 10 charge. For Southeast Asia routes, surcharges will increase from USD 40 to USD 60, and from USD 60 to USD 90 for Africa routes. Flights to and from Singapore will also see surcharges from Phase 1. The second surcharge phase starts on March 18, raising European route charges from USD 100 to USD 125 and from USD 150 to USD 200 for North America and Australia. The third phase targeting Far East markets will be detailed later. Existing tickets won't be subject to new charges unless itinerary changes necessitate fare recalculation.