Indian carrier SpiceJet flags fare hikes of up to 15% on fuel, forex costs

INDIAN budget carrier SpiceJet said on Thursday (Jun 16) that it could raise fares as much as 15 per cent to counter high fuel costs and a weak rupee, which it says are making the cost of operations unsustainable.

“Aviation turbine fuel prices have increased by more than 120 per cent since June 2021. This massive increase is not sustainable,” airline managing director Ajay Singh said in a statement, asking the federal and state governments to cut taxes.

Shares of SpiceJet fell more than 5 per cent after Singh’s comments.

Singh said the Indian currency’s fall against the greenback is also “significantly” affecting airlines that have substantial costs that are denominated in or pegged to the US currency.

“We believe that a minimum 10-15 per cent increase in fares is required to ensure that cost of operations are better sustained,” he said, adding that fuel makes up more than 50 per cent of an airline’s operational cost.

The rupee fell this week to a record low 78.28 to the US dollar, marking a fall of nearly 5 per cent this year. Surging crude oil and commodity prices since Russia invaded Ukraine in February have pushed up consumer prices globally. REUTERS