Air India stumps rivals with 25 kg free baggage allowance, discounted fares coming soon

Domestic airlines are offering many different enticements to passengers during the ongoing traditional lean season.

After Jet Airways announced a 30 percent discount earlier this week, Air India has come out with a scheme where free baggage allowance for domestic Economy Class travel has been increased to 25 kg from 15 kg till February next year.

Sources said a fare discount scheme is being prepared too by Air India after rival Jet’s announcement earlier and could be announced by the end of the week. Not to be left behind, Vistara - the only other full service carrier - is also coming out with a fare discount scheme before the end of this week.

So why is Air India starting to dangle a carrot by first hiking the free baggage allowance by 10 kg? Industry officials point out that when some rival airlines (mainly LCCs) are looking to offer zero baggage fares, it makes sense for Air India to attract customers by going to the other end of this scale and actually increasing the free baggage allowance. SpiceJet and earlier AirAsia India have been keen to offer discounted fares for passengers with no checked in bags - such passengers would get charged extra for every piece of checked in bag. But aviation regulator DGCA has been frowning on these zero bag schemes, after Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma’s clear diktat - no airline can deny 15 kg free checked in bags in Economy Class travel. While the airlines and the regulator slug it out over how much checked in luggage should be free of charge, Air India’s quiet move on hiking baggage allowance may actually give it an edge over competitors.

Meanwhile, Jet Airways has announced a ‘Freedom Sale’ offering a flat 30 percent discount on base fares of domestic and international flights just ahead of the 69th Independence Day. This discount offering started on 10 August and will continue till 14 August. The flat 30 percent discount tickets are available for travel period between 10 September 2015 and 14 April 2016 and this discount is applicable on base fare in First Class, Première and Economy from India to destinations across the Jet Airways network. Will Vistara’s discount scheme be similar to Jet’s remains to be seen.

The Air India baggage allowance scheme is a novel one: 25 kg free baggage; offer valid from 12 August 2015 to 7 February 2016 across all fare levels of Economy Class. Additionally, infants get a free baggage allowance of 10 kg. Passengers who have booked before 12 August 2015 also get the benefit of the increased allowance. The free baggage allowance of the international sector will be applicable for passengers travelling on Air India domestic sectors and connecting to Air India international sectors and vice versa.

Passengers travelling on Alliance Air flights and connecting to Air India flights and vice versa will also be eligible for this offer.