{"id":11171,"date":"2026-04-29T08:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T04:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/news\/economy\/indian-airlines-threaten-fuel-halt\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T12:59:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T08:59:30","slug":"indian-airlines-threaten-fuel-halt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/news\/economy\/indian-airlines-threaten-fuel-halt\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Airlines Threaten to Halt Services Over Aviation Fuel Crisis: What It Means for Investors and Businesses in Oman"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-fadein{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-slideup{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(20px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-pulse{0%,100%{box-shadow:0 0 14px #dc262688}50%{box-shadow:0 0 32px #dc2626,0 0 60px #dc262655}}\r\n@keyframes 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solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(8px);border-radius:20px;padding:3px 10px 3px 7px;margin-bottom:clamp(5px,0.6vw,9px);animation:hitv3sog-badge 0.5s ease both;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size:clamp(8px,0.9vw,10px);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.07em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);text-transform:uppercase;white-space:nowrap;\">EXCLUSIVE OMAN OFFER<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogh\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.15s;\">Websites For <span style=\"color:#dc2626;\">Omani Businesses.<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogs\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.3s;\">Empower your brand with custom digital solutions designed for high conversion and market dominance.<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogbl\"><div class=\"hitv3sogbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Responsive designs built for growth<\/span><\/div><div class=\"hitv3sogbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Fast loading with smart automation<\/span><\/div><\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitv3sogct\">\r\n    <button class=\"hitv3sogbtn\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;animation-delay:1s;\">Build Your Free Website <span style=\"opacity:.9;\">\u2192<\/span><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogbr\">hit.land<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n<p>Muscat: India\u2019s leading airlines\u2014IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet\u2014have appealed to the government for urgent intervention, warning of potential shutdowns due to airspace closures amid the ongoing war in West Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing these carriers, has requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation to implement a uniform fuel pricing mechanism across both domestic and international operations. <\/p>\n<p>Since the outbreak of the conflict on February 20, global aviation fuel prices have more than doubled, rising from approximately $96 per barrel to a peak of $209 in early April before settling at $176.45 by the week ending April 24. While the Indian government capped domestic aviation fuel price hikes at \u20b915 per litre last month, international operations have faced an increase of \u20b973 per litre.<\/p>\n<p>Fuel prices remain highest in Asia (around $181 per barrel) and Europe (about $187), compared to the Middle East ($174) and North America ($172). Aviation fuel accounts for 30-40% of an airline\u2019s operating costs, but this figure surged to 55-60% following the recent price increases.<\/p>\n<p>The FIA\u2019s letter, dated April 26, described the current hike in aviation turbine fuel prices as \u201cirrational,\u201d warning it will cause \u201cinsurmountable losses,\u201d force aircraft groundings, and lead to widespread flight cancellations. It called for \u201cimmediate and meaningful financial support\u201d to help airlines survive the crisis.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Indian schools in Oman will begin summer holidays earlier than usual this year, coinciding with Eid al-Adha in the third week of May. This timing, combined with fuel surcharges and aviation fuel supply challenges, is driving a significant increase in airfares from Oman to India starting May 21, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Current fares for late May are 20-50% higher than usual, with one-way tickets ranging from OMR 100 to 150 on peak travel days. Mumbai remains the most competitively priced route, served by Oman Air, SalamAir, and Air India Express, with fares starting between OMR 55\u201365 thanks to high frequency and multiple options. In contrast, fares to Hyderabad, Delhi, and Bengaluru have surged due to reduced flight capacity and uncertainty among Indian carriers.<\/p>\n<p>International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh highlighted the looming risk of jet fuel shortages globally, forecasting possible flight cancellations in Europe by the end of May due to fuel scarcity\u2014a situation already unfolding in parts of Asia. He urged authorities to prepare coordinated contingency plans, including potential slot relief, while exploring alternative fuel supply routes.<\/p>\n<p>The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported in its latest oil market update that global jet fuel demand averaged 7.8 million barrels per day in 2025, with 2 million barrels per day traded internationally. Gulf exporters supply about 400,000 barrels daily\u2014approximately 20% of the global market\u2014making them the largest single source. The loss of Gulf supply has created a severe structural imbalance in jet fuel availability.<\/p>\n<p>The IEA also forecasted a decline in global crude refinery runs by one million barrels per day in 2026, resulting in 200,000 barrels per day less jet fuel compared to pre-conflict levels. The supply shortage is expected to peak in Q2 2026, potentially removing up to 500,000 barrels per day from the market.<\/p>\n<p>This developing crisis underscores the urgent challenges facing airlines and the broader aviation industry amid geopolitical tensions and energy market disruptions.<\/p>\n<p><style>\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-fadein{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-slideup{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(20px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-pulse{0%,100%{box-shadow:0 0 14px #dc262688}50%{box-shadow:0 0 32px #dc2626,0 0 60px #dc262655}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-shimmer{0%,100%{opacity:0.3;transform:scaleX(0.4)}50%{opacity:1;transform:scaleX(1)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-glow{0%,100%{opacity:0.6}50%{opacity:1}}\r\n@keyframes 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solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(8px);border-radius:20px;padding:3px 10px 3px 7px;margin-bottom:clamp(5px,0.6vw,9px);animation:hitl8gak-badge 0.5s ease both;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size:clamp(8px,0.9vw,10px);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.07em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);text-transform:uppercase;white-space:nowrap;\">EXCLUSIVE OFFER<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakh\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.15s;\">Your Website <span style=\"color:#dc2626;\">Should Sell.<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gaks\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.3s;\">Custom-built websites with smart automation & AI-powered features.<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakbl\"><div class=\"hitl8gakbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>SEO-optimized & lightning fast<\/span><\/div><div class=\"hitl8gakbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Smart features built for your business<\/span><\/div><\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitl8gakct\">\r\n    <button class=\"hitl8gakbtn\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;animation-delay:1s;\">Get Free Consultation <span style=\"opacity:.9;\">\u2192<\/span><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakbr\">hit.land<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman&#8217;s Market<\/p>\n<p>The ongoing fuel price surge and airspace restrictions stemming from the West Asia conflict present <strong>significant operational risks for airlines<\/strong>, driving up costs and threatening flight cancellations. For businesses in Oman, especially tourism and travel sectors, this may mean <strong>higher travel costs and potential capacity constraints<\/strong>, impacting demand and scheduling. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should consider <strong>diversifying supply chains, exploring fuel-efficient and alternative technologies, and capitalizing on competitive routes like Muscat-Mumbai<\/strong>, while closely monitoring policy interventions and transport sector support measures.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India&#8217;s main airlines\u2014IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet\u2014warn of possible shutdowns due to airspace closures and soaring aviation fuel prices amid the West Asia war. Fuel costs, now 55-60% of expenses, have doubled since February, causing surcharges and flight cancellations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":11172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[482],"tags":[4528,3196,4529],"class_list":["post-11171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","tag-airfare-increase","tag-airline-operations","tag-aviation-fuel-prices"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/3368568.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11171"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11173,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11171\/revisions\/11173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}