new delhi get ready to shell out more for flying this winter following the latest hike in aviation turbine fuel atf prices national carrier air india has increased fuel surcharge by rs 200 on short haul domestic routes below 1400km and by rs 300 on longer flights within the country while other airlines did not comment on the impact the recent atf hike would have on fares travel industry sources say all of them have already raised ticket prices the impact is twofold apart from higher fuel surcharge high demand in peak travel months of january and december means that the basic fares are also in the highest slabs so passengers will face a double whammy also domestic passengers flying out of delhi have to again pay rs 221 from thursday as airport charge said an official a leading travel agent said fares till december 21 before christmas break are about rs 5001000 higher on an average since last month for instance average range of fares for flying from delhi to goa bangalore srinagar and patna is rs 60008000 rs 57000 rs 45000 and rs 35005000 respectively the fares in the last 10 days of this month will be higher due to peak demand in christmas season constant rise in atf now threatens to spoil the great india aviation growth story its prices per kilo liter have more than doubles in just six years in december 2005 the price per kl in delhi and mumbai was rs 317506 and rs 325643 respectively and now the prices are rs 646223 and rs 656503 respectively airlines have long been demanding that government cut taxes on atf as the constant hike in the price of jet fuel has today made this alone account for over half the total operating cost of an airline many states levy sales tax as high as 30 on air turbine fuel oil companies raise price of atf disproportionately higher than the rise in crude prices they cant raise diesel lpg and kerosene price so atf bears the brunt high base atf price and high sales tax makes air fuel a killer for us said an airline official once againpetrol prices reduced and jet fuel prices increased enriching states with windfall gains killing air connectivity vijay mallya chairman of cashstrapped kingfisher tweeted on thursday atf price was hiked on wednesday by an average of rs 2700 per kilo litre the airline official explained industrys pricing strategy every aircraft has different fare levels and as its seats keep getting sold fares move to the next higher level in peak travel month like december all low levels get sold out in advance and people booking now would have to buy at the highest fare levels