YLKI Condemns Rise in Airline Ticket Fuel Surcharge: Do Not Burden Consumers

Jakarta — The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) has strongly condemned the government’s move to reopen space for increases in fuel surcharges on airline tickets. The policy is viewed as further burdening the public at a time when domestic airfares are perceived to be excessively high and continue to be complained about. YLKI chair Niti Emiliana said in a written statement on Monday, 18 May 2026: ‘YLKI condemns the government’s policy of reopening space for increases in fuel surcharge on air tickets at a time when domestic airfares, which have been widely complained about, remain high.’ An upswing in air ticket prices would also trigger a domino effect on the cost of air transport logistics, which could eventually drive up the prices of goods and erode the public’s purchasing power more widely. According to Niti, the government should seek solutions by addressing fundamental problems in the aviation sector rather than taking shortcuts that harm users of air transport. ‘In YLKI’s view, the government should focus on correcting the root causes of the national aviation industry, such as avtur (aviation turbine fuel) trading arrangements, airline operational efficiency, the tax structure, and competition issues, rather than imposing higher costs on consumers through a fuel surcharge scheme,’ she said. Besides price issues, Niti also highlighted a misalignment between the tariffs paid by consumers and the quality of service they receive from airlines. ‘YLKI also notes that fare increases are not always followed by improvements in service quality. To date, consumers still frequently face flight delays, slow handling of complaints, complicated refunds, unilateral schedule changes, and baggage problems,’ she added. Therefore, if the fare remains, airlines have an absolute obligation to improve their operations. ‘If ticket prices rise, airlines must continue to improve service quality, particularly timely responses to complaints,’ she said. YLKI also urged the government and airlines to disclose data openly about the components of the additional costs so there are no hidden charges. ‘In addition, YLKI calls for full transparency regarding the details of the additional costs to prevent hidden charges that disadvantage consumers. The public must have access to an open and accountable formula for the fuel surcharge,’ Niti stated. Finally, she reminded that these additional charges should not be imposed unilaterally without considering dynamics of global commodity prices.