PIA Raises Flight Fuel Surcharge Amid Gulf Crisis

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Thursday that it will increase fuel surcharges on both domestic and international flights after aviation fuel costs surged by 34% amid the ongoing Gulf crisis.

According to a spokesperson for the airline, the surcharge on domestic routes will rise by $20, while passengers traveling on international flights may face increases of up to $100.

The conflict has significantly disrupted flight operations. Over the past 12 days, the airline has cancelled 165 flights. In addition, more than 500 domestic and international services were grounded during the last three days alone, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.

The spike in jet fuel prices is largely linked to rising global oil costs associated with the Iran war. Aviation fuel constitutes a major share of airline operating expenses, intensifying financial pressure on carriers. On Thursday, Brent Crude was trading close to $100 per barrel, while spot Northwest European jet fuel prices reached $1,536 per metric ton—approaching the intra-day peak of $1,633 recorded earlier in the week.

The regional conflict has also affected airlines across the Middle East and beyond. Carriers from Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates—including Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, Flydubai, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Kuwait Airways—have collectively cancelled around 2,381 flights each day, disrupting travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Data reported by The Express Tribune shows that between March 1 and March 10, only about 50 flights were able to operate, leading to approximately 23,810 cancellations during that period.