Travel Light, Pay Less: Airlines Can Offer Fare Concessions To Passengers With No Baggage, Says DGCA

The aviation regulator said in a circular the government has decided to unbundle certain services and make them chargeable on an opt-in basis based on feedback received from passengers. The move comes as an effort to make flying more affordable and accessible to passengers, Hindustan Times reported.

The services that will now be chargeable on the opt-in basis include preferential seating, meal or snacks or drinking charges, sports equipment charges, musical instrument carriage charge for using airline lounges. The circular says that “as part of airline baggage policy, scheduled airlines will be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as “zero baggage/no check-in baggage fares”.

“As part of airline baggage policy, scheduled airlines will be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as “zero baggage/no check-in baggage fares”. This will be subject to the condition that the passenger booking ticket under such fare scheme is made aware of the charges that shall be applicable if the passenger turns up with the baggage for check-in at the airline counter. These applicable charges shall be reasonable; prominently displayed to the passenger at the time of booking of ticket and also to be printed on the ticket,” DGCA said in a circular.