SpiceJet discount offer: Travel with 7 kg hand baggage and fly for Rs 999

So India is finally coming around to the practice held dear by budget airlines across the world - each piece of checked in luggage could be charged extra on a flight. And there could be incentives in terms of lower fares for those passengers who prefer travelling light, with just one piece of cabin bag. SpiceJet today became the first airline in India to launch a limited period fare scheme where a single piece of cabin baggage entitles a flyer to a Rs 999 all-inclusive ticket, valid even on connecting flights, all across the domestic network of the airline. Any checked in baggage, under this discount scheme, will attract extra payment of Rs 750. [caption id=“attachment_2204942” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] It is pertinent to remember here that AirAsia, the ultra low fare airline which had sought permission to charge for each piece of checked-in baggage from the DGCA last year, had been denied permission at that time. A senior official in the DGCA had then said that only partial unbundling of services has been allowed and AirAsia cannot charge extra for every piece of checked in luggage. A senior AirAsia India official had indicated last week that though M Sathiyawathy, now heading DGCA, has liberalised unbundling of services and the airline was keen to offer a scheme where each piece of checked in luggage would be charged, he was unclear if the latest DGCA circular on unbundling actually meant all airlines were free to do so. A SpiceJet spokesperson said the airline has been granted permission to launch the ‘Travel Light, Save More’ scheme by the DGCA. The scheme is available for 1.5 lakh seats and for bookings made between now and April 29. Two things must be noted here: AirAsia India has announced plans to launch flights from Delhi to Bengaluru, Goa and Guwahati from next month at very low fares and SpiceJet’s offering could be a well timed move to counter passengers moving to AirAsia India. Second, other budget carriers like IndiGo and GoAir may also launch a similar scheme in the next few hours. In its latest circular announcing unbundling of services, the DGCA noted that unbundling allows passengers to choose services they want to pay for. The services the regulator has permitted for unbundling include preferential seating, meals (except drinking water which must be given free), checked in baggage, premium lounges, sports and musical instrument transportation. The idea is to protect flyers from being compelled to pay for all these services and instead choose the service they would actually want.