An Air India Express flight from Hyderabad to Phuket had a technical issue with its nose wheel upon landing. Separately, Air India announced a phased fuel surcharge hike on domestic and international routes, citing a steep rise in jet fuel prices.
Air India Express Flight Stranded on Phuket Runway
An Air India Express flight travelling from Hyderabad to Phuket was involved in a landing incident on Wednesday after a technical issue with its nose wheel left the aircraft stranded on the runway at Phuket International Airport.
According to an AIR India Express Spokesperson, "We confirm that our Hyderabad-Phuket flight on 11 March experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport. The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned. We thank our guests, the Phuket airport authorities, and all stakeholders for their cooperation."
Air India Announces Phased Fuel Surcharge Hike
Meanwhile, Air India on Tuesday announced a phased expansion of fuel surcharges on both domestic and international routes and said the step has been necessitated by a steep rise in jet fuel prices arising from the geopolitical situation in the Gulf region.
In a statement, the airline said aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of an airline's operating costs, has witnessed a significant price escalation since early March 2026 due to supply interruptions. "In India, this pressure is amplified by high Excise Duty and VAT on ATF in major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, magnifying cost....and placing substantial strain on airline operating economics," the statement said.
Phase 1: Domestic, SAARC, Middle East, and Southeast Asia
According to the statement, the new fuel surcharge will be implemented in three phases and will apply to travel on all flights, including those operated by Air India Express. The first phase will apply to all new bookings made from March 12. Under this phase, domestic routes within India and flights to SAARC countries will see a fuel surcharge of Rs 399, which was previously not applied. Flights to West Asia and the Middle East will carry a surcharge of USD 10. For Southeast Asia routes, the surcharge will rise from USD 40 to USD 60, while flights to Africa will see the surcharge rise from USD 60 to USD 90. The airline also clarified that flights to and from Singapore currently do not attract a fuel surcharge but it shall apply from Phase 1.
Phase 2: Europe, North America, and Australia
Phase 2 of the surcharge expansion will take effect for bookings made from March 18. Fuel surcharges on flights to Europe will increase from USD 100 to USD 125. For routes to North America and Australia, the surcharge will increase from USD 150 to USD 200.
Future Phases and Ticketing Policy
A third phase, covering Far East markets including Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, will be announced in due course, the release said.
Air India said tickets already issued before the implementation times will not attract the new surcharge unless passengers request date or itinerary changes that require a recalculation of fares. (ANI)
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