Air India cuts baggage allowance to 15 kg for lowest economy fare class

Air India has reduced its free cabin baggage allowance from 20kg to 15kg for the lowest economy fare segment on domestic flights. The changes have been introduced as part of the menu-based pricing model fare families introduced by the Tata Group-owned Air India last August, with the airline asserting that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer ideal.

Prior to the fare families concept, passengers on Air India's domestic flights were allowed to carry 25 kg of cabin baggage free of any additional charge, while other domestic carriers such as IndiGo, Vistara and SpiceJet offer 15 kg of cabin baggage without additional charge.

The three fare groups – Comfort, Comfort Plus, and Flex – offer distinct levels of benefits and fare restrictions at various price points, as stated by an Air India spokesperson on Saturday.

With effect from May 2, the free cabin baggage allowance for the 'Comfort' and 'Comfort Plus' categories has been reduced to 15 kg from 20 kg and 25 kg, respectively, as per the airline's statement.

"On domestic routes in Economy Class, both 'Comfort' and 'Comfort Plus' fare families now provide 15 kg baggage allowance, while 'Flex' provides 25 kg allowance. The Business Class baggage allowance on domestic routes ranges from 25 kg to 35 kg. The free baggage allowance on international flights varies from market to market," the airline spokesperson said.

Further, the spokesperson emphasised that fare families are designed to allow passengers to select fares and services that best suit their requirements, considering the diverse preferences of travellers.

Elaborating on the price composition, the airline official said that the price difference between 'Comfort Plus' and 'Flex' fares would typically be around Rs 1,000 in a domestic sector like Delhi-Mumbai, with the 'Flex' fare providing the value of nearly Rs 9,000, including 10kg extra baggage and zero change or cancellation fees.

The introduction of fare families is a response to customer feedback and Air India’s comprehensive study, benchmarked against the offerings of relevant competition in each market it has been introduced in, the spokesperson added.