Pay less for your flight if you travel without check-in baggage

New Delhi, Feb 26: Aviation regulator DGCA has now allowed domestic carriers to give concessions in ticket prices to passengers who carry no baggage or only cabin baggage. This means flying within the country without any check-in baggage could soon get much cheaper.

Passengers can carry cabin luggage up to 7 kg free of charge. To get this fare, the passenger has to state at the time of booking that she plans to travel without any check-in bags.

Light fares offered by airlines for passengers with only cabin baggage, before the two-month domestic flight suspension last March, could be lower by a maximum of Rs 200 from the lowest level check-in baggage inclusive fares.

The Times of India report said that airlines as per a DGCA order issued on Thursday have been asked to charge a "reasonable" price on passengers "who buy light fares and turn up with airport with check-in bags". The order read that airlines will also be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as 'zero baggage or check-in baggage'.

"This will be subject to the condition that the passenger booking ticket under such fare scheme is made aware of the charges that shall be applicable if he passengers turn up with the baggage for check-in at the airline counter. These applicable charges shall be reasonable; prominently displayed to the passenger at the time of booking of the ticket and also to be printed on the ticket," the DGCA order read, as reported by The Times of India.

All domestic and international flights were shut after the Centre announced a nationwide coronavirus-induced lockdown on March 24 last year. Flight services have resumed in a staggered manner from May 25 last year.