Mumbai: No free baggage allowance, a charge for airport check-in and payment for every seat may soon be an air traveler's reality. The recent unbundling of charges has sparked a controversy, with airlines charging for services without reducing fares, but aviation experts predict all services, except for a constant base fare, will come with a price tag in two to three years.
Airlines in India may emulate low-cost carriers (LCCs) in the US and Europe which keep a basic fare and charge for ancillary services.
Passengers may have to check in early through the web to avoid a counter charge. There may be a scenario where no seat is assigned till a passenger picks one and pays for it, and all baggage will be charged for. The alteration will be in base fare, which will be very low, and cover operation cost. LCCs like Ryanair and easyJet operate on this model, which India-based low-cost carriers are trying to emulate.
23/05/13 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India
