Excess baggage to cost more on all domestic flights

The court set aside DGCA’s June 10, 2016 circular according to which private airlines had been allowed to charge Rs 100 per extra kg till 20 kg as against their earlier rates, from Rs 220 to Rs 350.

Get set for heavy penalties for exceeding baggage weight allowances. Delhi High court has struck down a June 10, 2016 circular of aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that capped charges for excess checked in-baggage at Rs 100 per kg for 15 to 20 kg on private flights.

The court had said the amounts charged by the airlines would be restored if the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) succeeded in its plea challenging the circular. (HT File Photo)

Justice Vibhu Bakhru of the Delhi High court on Wednesday allowed an appeal of the Federation of Indian Airlines, which contended that the power to fix the tariff lies with the carriers and not the regulator, and that the excess baggage charges were determined by market forces.

Now, the airlines can revert to the rates they were earlier charging, which ranged from Rs 220 to Rs 350 per kg.

The DGCA circular said air-carriers could fix their own fees beyond 20 kg. The rates came into effect on July 1 last year as court had not stayed it or deferred the date of implementation.

The Federation of Indian Airlines, while challenging the circular had said that DGCA did not have the jurisdiction to fix the tariff.

It said DGCA can interfere only when there are specific instances of discriminatory practices and such circulars cannot be issued in a general manner.

Currently, all domestic carriers allow free checked-in baggage up to 15 kg. Only Air India allows free baggage of 23 kg.