Good news for passengers, as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airlines have been directed to provide concessions in flight ticket prices to passengers who carry no baggage. As per the circular, the airfares charged by the airlines include charges of some of the services rendered by them. However, based on the feedback, the DGCA has decided that often several services provided by the airlines by the airlines may not be required by the flyers while traveling. These services are preferential seating, meal or snack or drink charges (except for water), charges for using airline lounges, check-in baggage charges, sports equipment charges, music instrument charges, and fees for special declaration of valuable baggage.
As part of the airline baggage policy, airlines will be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as “Zero Baggage or No Check-In baggage fares”. However, the flyers purchasing tickets under the scheme must not carry check-in baggage at the airline counter. If they carry check-in luggage, “reasonable charges” will be levied. Sub-rule (1) of rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 states that every air transport undertaking engaged in scheduled air services shall establish tariff having regard to all relevant factors, including the cost of operation, characteristics of service, reasonable profit and the generally prevailing tariff. To avail the discounts, passengers will have to declare at the time of the booking of the ticket the weight of baggage they will be carrying.
