Jet ties up with Shell-MRPL for supply of ATF

With the airline industry facing the brunt of high jet fuel prices, premier carrier Jet Airways on Monday announced a two-year tie-up with Shell-MRPL joint venture for its supply at the new airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The 50:50 joint venture company, which would supply aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to Jet Airways at these two airports, said it would look forward to partner with other airlines in the country.

"This marks the beginning of our commercial partnership with airlines in India. We look forward to partnering with other airlines in the country in the coming months," Shell-MRPL (Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited) Aviation Fuels & Services Pvt Ltd CEO Sanjay Varkey said on Monday.

Jet CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said the partnership would ensure optimal operational efficiencies for the airline in terms of reliable, on-time supply of high-quality ATF.

The newly formed JV would market and supply aviation fuels to domestic and international airlines in India, beginning with the new Hyderabad and Bangalore airports and expand to other airports at a later stage.

The announcement came on a day when state governments sought details from the Centre about how ATF prices were fixed, before they could take a call on reducing sales tax on the petroleum product as desired by the aviation industry.