ISLAMABAD – The ongoing global fuel crisis due to Iran-US War continue to disrupt travel, and now Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is planning to raise ticket prices after introducing a new fuel surcharge in response to a sharp rise in jet fuel costs amid the ongoing oil crisis.
Passengers could soon feel the biggest impact of Pakistan’s aviation turmoil in their wallets, as the national air carrier moves toward significantly higher ticket prices after a massive spike in jet fuel costs rattled the carrier’s operations.
With jet fuel prices reportedly soaring nearly 150 percent, from around Rs190 per litre to above Rs450, the airline run by business consortium introduced fuel surcharges of roughly $10 on domestic flights and up to $100 on international routes, while also withdrawing discounts, effectively pushing fares upward.
Aairfare could rise by upto 30 percent as the airline attempts to recover part of the mounting fuel burden. But officials admit there is limited room to keep raising prices, as excessive fare hikes could hurt demand, especially on competitive routes.
Alongside higher fares, the airline has started cutting operations, reducing frequencies and suspending key international routes, including flights to Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, while limiting capacity across parts of its Gulf network.
PIA also temporarily halted flight operations to China and Malaysia for up to three months while reallocating aircraft for Hajj operations. Meanwhile, flights to Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain affected by regional security concerns and airspace restrictions.
Aviation sources say the airline’s response is driven by survival, not strategy, as several routes have become commercially difficult to sustain under current fuel costs.
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