New Delhi: At a time when airlines are 'unbundling' services and charging for them, some are discovering that it pays not to put a price tag on everything. National carrier Air India is not in favour of charging for pre-selection of seats — something that all Indian carriers do — for domestic flights. Low cost carrier (LCC) SpiceJet continues to offer 20kg of free check-in baggage on domestic flights, whereas all others allow only 15 kg to domestic passengers.
A senior AI official said, "The aviation regulator has directed that airlines can offer only up to 25% of seats for pre-booking. So at most, we are looking at raising Rs 5,000 from a flight through this route. It makes more sense to sell one more seat for this price than charge for pre-booking. We are unlikely to have seat selection charges for domestic flights and may only introduce the same for international ones."
Incidentally, AI was the first Indian carrier to reduce the 20kg of free check-in baggage weight allowed to domestic flyers to 15 kg when the government allowed unbundling of services.
29/07/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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A senior AI official said, "The aviation regulator has directed that airlines can offer only up to 25% of seats for pre-booking. So at most, we are looking at raising Rs 5,000 from a flight through this route. It makes more sense to sell one more seat for this price than charge for pre-booking. We are unlikely to have seat selection charges for domestic flights and may only introduce the same for international ones."
Incidentally, AI was the first Indian carrier to reduce the 20kg of free check-in baggage weight allowed to domestic flyers to 15 kg when the government allowed unbundling of services.
29/07/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
