In a move that will allow domestic flyers to travel for less, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed airlines to offer “no check-in baggage/hand baggage only” fare schemes.
What this means is that passengers travelling without checked-in bags will have the option of getting a lower fare while being entitled to carry a handbag weighing up to 7 kg free of charge.
At present, all domestic private airlines except national carrier Air India (AI) allow a flyer to carry up to 15 kgs of check-in baggage without any cost. AI allows its passengers to carry up to 23 kgs of check-in baggage free of cost.
Airlines such as SpiceJet, at present offer hand baggage-only fares, but had to take prior approval of the DGCA before launching any such scheme.
“Airlines are allowed to offer ‘no check-in baggage/hand baggage only’ fare scheme subject to the condition that the penalty to be imposed on a passenger, who avails such schemes, but turns up with baggage for check-in at airline counter, cannot exceed the amount of incentive offered compared to lowest fare,” the DGCA said in a Air Transport Circular on unbundling of services issued on November 8.
“The unbundled services must be provided on “opt-in” basis and not on “opt out” basis.”
{{/usCountry}}“The unbundled services must be provided on “opt-in” basis and not on “opt out” basis.”
{{/usCountry}}As part of the unbundling of services, domestic airlines were allowed to charge from the customers for various facilities such as preferred seats, check-in baggage charges and use of lounges, by the regulator in April, 2015.