New Delhi, Sept. 7: Domestic air travel will be costlier as major airlines, including Indian Airlines and Jet Airways, have increased fares following a continuous rise in prices of jet fuel in the past few months.

Indian Airlines today announced a hike ranging between Rs 45 and Rs 400 in domestic fares for all discounted, unchecked and apex class tickets. The new prices will come into effect from September 10.

Officials of the public sector firm said the maximum hike of Rs 400 was only in two sectors — Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram and Delhi to Kochi. In other sectors, the average hike was around Rs 200.

The price of aviation turbine fuel or jet fuel, which constitutes 30-35 per cent of the operating cost of airlines, has been rising between 2 and 3 per cent for the past several months, forcing the aviation industry to increase fares.

A Jet airways spokesman said there was an increase of Rs 200 on all routes and all fares. Besides this, an additional Rs 500 was levied on all Jet Airways coupons that have been purchased by passengers under various schemes, he added.

A Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson said though no decision had been taken so far about increasing fares, it could consider a hike if other airlines did so.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet claimed it had not increased fares, but sources in the company said the airline had reduced the number of cheap seats.