Aviation regulator okays SpiceJet’s ‘zero baggage’ fare scheme

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A senior official in the DGCA said, “Passengers will get a discount of Rs 200 if they travel without check-in baggage. But if the passenger reports for the flight with check-in baggage, he will have to pay Rs 400 at the airport.” This charge would include a penalty of Rs 200 and the Rs 200 he had availed of as discount earlier.

The official added that SpiceJet had sought permission to charge a penalty of Rs 750 per passenger but the government did not approve the levy. “A meeting was held recently in which it was decided that the airline can charge total penalty of Rs 400 only”, informed the official. The decision will be communicated to SpiceJet shortly.

The ‘zero baggage’ scheme is expected to attract a lot of corporate travellers who usually travel light with only cabin baggage.

In June this year, the budget carrier had rolled out a scheme, offering a discount of Rs 200 to every passenger who books a flight with only one handbag and no check-in baggage. The offer, however, came with a rider that those who book tickets at discounted fares but later decide to carry check-in baggage would have to pay a fee of Rs 500 for up to 10 kg and Rs 750 for up to 15 kg baggage.

At present all domestic private carriers allow a flyer to carry up to 15 kgs of check-in baggage without any cost. However, the free check-in baggage ceiling for the fliers of Air India is up to 23 kgs.

Domestic airlines were allowed to charge customers for various facilities such as preferred seats, check-in baggage charges and use of lounges, by the regulator in April this year. The regulator subsequently was also considering a proposal put forth by IndiGo, SpiceJet and AirAsia to allow airlines to charge all passengers for cabin baggage, but it was shelved later after Minister of State for Mahesh Sharma said any such move would discourage middle-class consumers from taking flights. The regulator, thereafter, agreed to permit SpiceJet to offer flyers a discounted rate for carrying only hand baggage but said it is mandatory for all airlines not to charge for check-in baggage of up to 15 kg on domestic flights.