Follow this and get discount on domestic flight tickets

Now, some good news for passengers who are planning to fly within the country. Passengers carrying no check-in baggage will soon get a discount on domestic flight tickets. Domestic flight operators are allowed to give concessions to passengers who carry only cabin baggage, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said in a circular. As per the current rules, a passenger can carry up to 7 kilograms of cabin baggage and 15 kilograms of check-in baggage. Any additional weight above the prescribed limit is chargeable.

“On the basis of various feedback received, it is felt that many times these services provided by the airlines may not be required by the passengers while travelling. Considering the fact that unbundling of services and charges thereto has the potential to make basic fare more affordable and provide the consumer with an option of paying for the services which he/she wishes to avail, it has been decided by the government to allow these services to be unbundled and charged separately on an opt-in basis,” DGCA said.

To avail themselves of the discounts, passengers will have to declare at the time of the booking of the ticket the weight of baggage they will be carrying.

“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 the ticket and will also be printed on the ticket,” the aviation watchdog said in a statement.

To cope with the rising aviation turbine fuel price, the government had raised lower and upper limits on domestic airfares. As an example, Delhi-Mumbai fare at the lower band has gone up from Rs 3,500 to Rs 3,900. While announcing the resumption of scheduled domestic flights after Covid-induced lockdown in May last year, the aviation ministry had placed limits on airfares through seven bands classified on the basis of flight duration. 

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