India's leading private air carrier Air Sahara has made it possible by announcing the lowest ever fare for Delhi-London return trip at Rs 10,000 (excluding taxes of around Rs 8,000) for the first 2006 tickets whose sale began yesterday through its website.

Economy class fares charged by other airlines on this route range between Rs 17,000 and Rs 22,000 excluding taxes.

Announcing the new fare here on Tuesday, Air Sahara President Ronojoy Dutta said, "We will offer 2006 tickets for Rs 10,000 return fare and they will remain valid for travel for one year."

The first Air Sahara flight on Delhi-London route with the lowest fare takes off on January 6.

The announcement by Air Sahara came at the peak season and at a time when the price of aviation turbine fuel went up by seven percent because of hardening international crude oil prices.

Indian civil aviation industry sources said the promotional fare announced by Air Sahara was aimed at creating a hype and increasing load factor as was done by low-cost domestic carrier Air Deccan and Spicejet which offer 25 percent and 10 percent of their seats through promotional fares.

While Air Deccan and Spicejet have load factor of over 90 percent, Air Sahara has 82 percent.

In the domestic Indian market, introductory promotional fares from Air Deccan was Rupee one and Spicejet from Rs 99 to Rs 999 and sold through the internet evoked a good response.

The announcement of Delhi-London-Delhi promotional fare might trigger another fare war by putting pressure on other airlines, especially Europe and Gulf-based airlines and India's biggest carrier Jet Airways, to bring down their fares, the sources said.