New Delhi: Now, domestic passengers flying on low-cost carriers could also avail of the services of an airport lounge — something that had so far been an exclusive privilege of frequent flyers and those with business-class tags.
The country’s largest airline, IndiGo, a low-cost carrier (LCC), is planning to offer passengers for a small fee the option of using lounges at airports in Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore airports, to begin with. The flyers would have to fork out around Rs 600 to use these facilities at the three airports; they could avail of it from two hours before the flight’s departure from the airport.
IndiGo confirmed it was exploring the possibility. At present, the airline offers lounge services to its passengers travelling on international flights from Delhi.
The move has come close on the heels of the civil aviation ministry allowing airlines to unbundle some services and charge extra for those. Apart from charging for preferred seats, the ministry has also allowed airlines to offer to passengers lounge facilities for a fee.
11/05/13 Surajeet Das Gupta & Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard
