FLYING will become costlier from next week if you are carrying baggage weighing more than 15 kg with major airlines deciding to impose a levy of Rs 250 ($4.60/£2.96) per additional kg and considering charging more for preferential seating.
After Air India, private full service carrier Jet Airways on Thursday (May 9) announced revision of free baggage allowance to 15 kgs in economy class from 20 kg on its flights and that of its all economy arm Jet Konnect.
This will come into effect from May 15, a statement from Jet Airways said.
However, the JetPrivilege members would continue to enjoy the additional free baggage allowance as per their JP membership status, while Premiere (business class) guests would continue to avail 30 kg of free baggage allowance on Jet Airways and JetKonnect flights, it said.
The airline has left the permissible weight of cabin baggage to seven kgs, as before.
The move came days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) allowed airlines to charge fees for ‘unbundled services’ like check-in baggage, preferential seats, meals, snacks or drink (barring drinking water) and sports and musical instruments on their domestic flights.
Earlier, Air India had announced lowering of the free baggage allowance from 20 to 15 kgs on the domestic sector from May 19.
The national carrier had on Monday (May 6) last decided to charge a flat rate of about Rs 200-250 per kg on excess weight. The excess baggage charges beyond 20 kgs currently vary between Rs 150-400 per kg depending upon the sector.
The airline is also contemplating levying charges for preferred seats like front rows, emergency exit seats, where leg space is more and window and aisle seats.
Meanwhile, low cost carrier IndiGo has decided to charge a premium from the fliers for pre-booking a preferential seat in domestic and international flights.
The airline would charge the passenger a premium of Rs 500 ($9.20/£5.93) for sitting in first two rows or near emergency exits in 12 and 13th row on a domestic flight and Rs 800 ($14.72/£9.50) for an international flight under its Indigo Seat Plus plan.
Though, IndiGo, has not indicated from when it would start charging the new rates, in a circular to travel agents it said for all other window and aisle seats, which are pre-selected, a passenger would be charged Rs 200 ($3.68/£2.37) for domestic and Rs 300 ($5.52/£3.56) for international flights.
While pre-booking of all other middle seats would cost Rs 100 ($1.84/£1.18) on a domestic and Rs 200 ($3.68/£2.37) on an international flight.
