Private airlines hike excess baggage charge

In a move which could hit the air passengers hard, private carriers such as IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet have together increased baggage charges beyond the standard limit of 15 kgs.

While the revised charge of GoAir has come into effect from Saturday, IndiGo and SpiceJet have raised the extra baggage charges from Friday onwards. State-run Air India is the only airline now on the domestic sector which allows passengers to carry up to 25 kg baggage free.

IndiGo has further burdened the passengers with the announcement on its official website about the revised charges: Rs 400 per kg for every kilo beyond 15 kg which a passenger has to pay at the airport.

In case of pre-bookings, the airline will charge Rs 1,900 for excess baggage of 5 kg, Rs 3,800 for extra 10 kg, Rs 5,700 for 15 kg extra and 11,400 for extra 30 kg.

When it had revised the pre-booking charges last August, they were Rs 1,425 for extra five kg, Rs 2,850 for 10 kg, Rs 4,275 for 15 extra kgs and Rs 8,550 for extra 30 kg.

The revised charges effected by GoAir from Saturday is identical to that of IndiGo, according to the information available on its website.

Sources in SpiceJet said the new pre-booking charges for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 kg in domestic sector are Rs 1,600; Rs 3,200; Rs 4,800; Rs 6,400 and Rs 9,600, respectively.

On revising the baggage fees, IndiGo has said that if customers who are booked on Lite Fare report at the airport with baggage to be checked-in, then they will have to pay Rs 200 to avail 15kg baggage allowance.