Now, IndiGo hikes fares by 25%

Market leader IndiGo on Friday followed its rivals and raised fares by 25 per cent to offset the impact of rupee fall and spike in international crude prices.

"IndiGo has revised upwards its fares, which are now 25 per cent higher than earlier," a source in the budget carrier said. When contacted, the Gurgaon-based airline declined to comment on the issue.

The fare hike was triggered by Chennai-headquartered low-cost carrier SpiceJet, which increased fares by a hefty 30 per cent earlier this week citing rise in input costs in the wake of the rupee fall and a 6.9 per cent increase in the jet fuel prices by oil marketing firms from September 1.

Full service carriers Jet Airways and state-run Air India, too, have increased fares by 25 per cent.

Incidentally, none of the airline has so far issued any official statement on the hike, in sharp contrast to ad blitzkrieg they resort to when they announce special low fares. They have declined to take media queries on the issue.

"We are restoring the fares to the normal levels which existed in June," Air India sources said earlier, adding, the decision was a fallout of increase in jet fuel prices.

International oil prices have been trading between $105 and $115 a barrel since the past few months and the uptrend is influenced by the Syrian crisis.

Jet fuel prices were hiked by a steep 6.9 per cent, taking the rate to Rs 75,031 per kilolitre, from September 1. This came on the back of two rounds of ATF price hikes effected in July and August by oil marketing companies.

ATF prices were increased by 5.8 per cent on July 1 and by another 6.3 per cent on August.