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Jet Fuel Becomes Cheaper Than Petrol, Diesel After 14.7% Price Cut

The price of aviation turbine fuel was slashed by Rs 9,990 per kilolitre, or 14.7 percent, to Rs 58,060.97 per kilolitre.

A security guard closes a gate as an Airbus SAS A320 aircraft operated by IndiGo in Mumbai, India. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)
A security guard closes a gate as an Airbus SAS A320 aircraft operated by IndiGo in Mumbai, India. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

Jet fuel price was cut by a record 14.7 percent on Tuesday on the back of decline in international rates, making it cheaper than both petrol and diesel.

The price of aviation turbine fuel—used to power airplanes—was slashed by Rs 9,990 per kilolitre, or 14.7 per cent, to Rs 58,060.97 per kilolitre, according to a price notification issued by the state-owned oil firms.

This is the second straight monthly reduction in rates and the biggest single cut ever. Prices were slashed by Rs 8,327.83 per kilolitre, or 10.9 per cent, on December 1.

The two consecutive price reduction has brought ATF rates to their lowest levels in a year and will provide much-needed relief to cash-strapped airlines.

Jet fuel rates are now cheaper than both petrol and diesel in most parts of the country.

A litre of petrol, used in motorcycles and cars, costs Rs 68.65 in Delhi as compared to Rs 58,060.97 per kilolitre or Rs 58.06 per litre price for ATF. A litre of diesel, which is mostly used as fuel in trucks and buses, comes for Rs 62.66.

ATF costs just a shade higher than the price charged for kerosene sold through non-Public Distribution System outlets in Delhi. Non-PDS kerosene in Delhi is priced at Rs 56.59 per litre.

ATF in Mumbai, home to one of the busiest airports in the country, costs Rs 58,017.33 per kilolitre or Rs 58.01 per litre. A litre of petrol in the city costs Rs 74.30 and diesel is priced at Rs 65.56 per litre. It costs less than even non-PDS kerosene in the city which is sold at Rs 59.53 a litre.

Rates vary from city to city depending on local taxes.

Continuing its downward march, petrol price on Tuesday was cut by 19 paise a litre and diesel rates were reduced by 20 paise.

Petrol now costs Rs 68.65 a litre in Delhi and diesel is priced at Rs 62.66.

Rates have been on the decline since Oct. 18 and cumulatively prices have been cut by Rs 14.18 per litre in case of petrol and Rs 13.03 a litre for diesel.

State-owned fuel retailers revise rates of ATF on 1st of every month based on average international oil rate and rupee-US dollar exchange rate in the preceding month. Petrol and diesel prices are revised on a daily basis.