NEW DELHI: Passengers will now have to pay may more to check-in a second bag on Air India flights to and from Europe and the UK. AI has from October 17 introduced fare families where the lowest economy fare allows one check-in of 23 kg to these two places. Those who wish to check in two bags will need to opt for the higher economy fares, the difference starting at about Rs 4,000 (one-way).
Most big Western airlines like Lufthansa allow one check-in bag to economy flyers and extra charges have to be paid for the second bag. British Airways starts with a handbag-only economy fare and then has higher economy fare levels that allow two bags of upto 23 kg each. Earlier this year, AI had done the same with domestic where the base category of economy fare now allows baggage allowance of upto 15 kg — down from earlier 25 kg but in line with all other Indian carriers.
In its pre-divestment days (before 2022), state-owned AI used to offer higher baggage allowance to woo passengers and make up for its dilapidated cabin product and poor punctuality. Now with the Tatas investing billions of dollars in improving AI and hopefully the result will show in coming years across the fleet, the baggage allowance is getting in sync with big global airlines. While passengers understand that, they wonder if AI should have dome that once its wide body product had improved (something expected to happen over next two years) along with its punctuality.
AI still allows two bags of upto 23 kg each in eco.