Govt grounds airlines’ plot to charge for check-in baggage

A move by budget carriers to charge for check-in baggage was on Saturday rejected by the Government which is not in favour of putting this burden on the passengers. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said that the airlines concerned had approached aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) for its nod for their proposal but the Government has not accepted the request. 

“We have gotten the proposal from low-cost flights to charge for check-in baggage. We have rejected it and there will be no consideration at the Aviation Ministry level. We do not want to put this burden on passengers,” Sharma said. 

Sharma added that his ministry has asked the airlines to send a detailed proposal on the issue and if it is found in the interest of passengers, it may consider it. The DGCA is looking into a proposal made by three Indian carriers by which travellers will have to shell out for every kilogram of checked-in luggage. 

The proposal, at the same time, envisages providing incentives for passengers who travel light. A senior DGCA official said on Friday that SpiceJet, Indigo and AirAsia have approached the regulator with the idea of ‘zero baggage fare’, whereby passengers having no check-in luggage would be given a discount on the ticket.

A SpiceJet official said on Saturday that the March 2015 circular of the DGCA allows airlines to unbundle services. An AirAsia India official said he was not aware of the Government stand while an IndiGo spokesperson could not immediately be contacted for his response.

A ‘zero baggage fare’would do away with the current practice of passengers being allowed to carry up to 15 kg of check-in luggage free.