Archives for 2018

You are browsing the site archives by date.

Everything You Need To Know About Your Airline’s Seat Selection Fee!

Back In 2004, Air Deccan used to assign seats free of charge and everyone used to hangout at the boarding gate to grab the best possible seat on the airplane.

But, airlines today charge us for everything, whether it’s checking a bag, choosing a seat or ordering a meal.

In 2015, Directorate General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officially allowed airlines in India to charge money from passengers to select their seats and airline operators formed their own rules regarding this.

So, to make things simpler for you, we are going to tell you about the different fees that airlines in India charge you for selecting your preferred airplane seat.

1.Vistara

In a bid to make their airline more customer friendly & stand out from others in the industry, Vistara only charges for emergency exit row seats.

You have to pay anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 1000 for these seats, depending on the length of your flight.

All the other seats are free to be assigned once you’ve booked your tickets, so make sure you check-in online to grab your favourite place on the airplane.

*If you’re a ‘Club Vistara’ member or a ‘Singapore Airlines Kris Flyer’, you wont have to pay for your exit row seat.

Read More About “Vistara’s Seat Selection Policy

2.Jet Airways

On Jet Airways, you can select a seat from 331 days to 12 hours before your flight’s scheduled departure time.

Seat selection charges for Centre, Aisle or window seat can vary between Rs 99 to Rs 950, depending on the route you fly on. They charge Rs 899 for Bulkhead or Front row seats and Rs 699 for seats in the exit row.

Most of the seats in the back of the economy cabin are free of cost for pre-selection.

*JetPrivilege “Platinum” members can select any seat free of cost in any class, however, those with a “Gold” membership have to pay for seat selection in certain fare classes. Make sure to add your loyalty number before booking a flight.

Read More About “Jet Airway’s Seat Selection Policy

3.Air India

The state owned airline, recently decided to ask for payments for seat selection on domestic flights.

For front and exit row seats you have to shell out Rs 500. For window and aisle seats, they charge you Rs 200.

You can pay and select your seats in the front and middle section of the airplane until 4 hours prior to departure.

For pre selecting your seat with Air India, you can’t just pull up the seat map, select a seat and pay for it. Once you pay for the selected seat, and if the seat is assigned to you, you’ll find it out 24 hours before the flight.

For instance, if you’ve paid for an aisle seat, you can get it in Row 5 or Row 11.

*To select a seat for free with Air India, you’ll have to go old school. Arrive early at the airport and ask nicely for you preferred seat ,if you haven’t checked in online.

Read More About “Air India’s Seat Selection Policy

4.SpiceJet

SpiceJet has allotted 5 rows in their airplanes ( 3 in the front and 2 in the middle) with seats which have extra legroom.

They charge up to Rs 1000 for these seats which are labelled ‘SpiceMax’. The airline provides a host of services  to those who select SpiceMax, including an inflight meal, priority check-in and baggage handling.

For other seats on the airplane, you have to pay anywhere between Rs 99 to Rs 300.The only way to get a free seat is if you arrive at the airport early and get one.

*If you’re a “SpiceClub” member, you can get into a ‘Members Only’ que, which is mostly empty and have a better chance of getting a better service and airplane seat.

Read More About “SpiceJet’s Seat Selection Policy

5.Air Asia India

Air Asia offers you the option of a “Hot Seat”. These have extra legroom or are situated in the emergency exit rows.

For these seats you have to pay anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 660 and are available only for their flights on domestic routes.

Air Asia in general charges you based on the row you choose to sit in, rather than the type of seat. It will cost you in the range of Rs 99 to Rs 250.

*If you choose your seat while booking your tickets, you get a 10% discount on that seat. For instance, the first row Hot Seat comes at Rs 600 if you select your seat when you book  your ticket.

Read More About “Air Asia’s Seat Selection Policy

6.GoAir

This airline sells the first 2 rows as Business class, but row 3 onwards you have to pay for selecting your preferred seat.

Emergency exit row seats will cost you Rs 600 if you book online & Rs 800 if you book it at the airport.

For others, you’ll have to pay between Rs 99 to Rs 300 depending on the type of seat.

*The last rows of the airplane are assigned free of cost, however there maybe a window missing on their window seats due to the airplane’s design structure.

Read More About  “GoAir’s Seat Selection Policy

7.IndiGo

India’s leading airline, IndiGo, has a comparatively straightforward process to allot you seats on their website.

On routes where their A320 aircrafts operate, you have to pay Rs 600 (Online Booking) or Rs 800 (At The Airport) for their “XL” seats, which have extra legroom. For sitting in the middle or front section of the airplane, you’ll have to shell out anywhere between Rs 200 to Rs 300

Seats at the back of the airplane are free for selection but usually run out quickly.

On their ATR flights, which they use for regional transportation, you have to pay Rs 100 to Rs 200. These aircrafts have 4 “XL” seats for which you’ll have to pay Rs 300.

The best way to get a free seat is to let the airline automatically check you in when the ticket is issued.

*You can get a free upgrade to XL seats if you arrive early and politely ask for it. The only catch is that XL seats fill up really fast and are usually unavailable, but you can give it a try.

Read More About “IndiGo’s Seat Selection Policy

If you want to know more about your airline’s seat selection policy, look no further. Download The AirWhizz app to get all the details regarding different airline policies along with airport information and real-time flight updates on the move.

Read More

Floods May Force Authorities To Shutdown Cochin Airport!

After winning UN’s prestigious “Champions Of Earth” award, it seems like there is some bad news for Cochin Airport!

Authorities at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) may have to close the airport down due to a flooding situation in the region.

CIAL is keeping their fingers crossed as the water levels are rising at the Idukki and Idalamalyar dams due to heavy rainfall.

According to a senior official at CIAL, if the Idamalayar dam and Idukki dam are opened simultaneously, Cochin Airport will not be able to escape flooding once again.

However, he said that if the flow of water from Idukki Damn is regulated, it will not affect or pose any problems for the airport. He added, that a team is monitoring the situation every 2 hours and the necessary equipment has been moved to the first floor of the airport. In case there is an emergency situation, the rest of the equipment is ready to be shifted to a safer place.

In 2013, officials had to shut down Cochin Airport, when the adjoining Chengal Canal overflowed after opening the upper Sholayar dam and four shutters of Idamalyar dam due to heavy rainfall, leading to massive floods.

Ever since this happened, CIAL started construction work to increase the depth of the Chengal Canal to handle the water-flow during rains. They also reinforced the outer boundaries of the canal and the airport, to prevent flooding.

Read More

Delhi Airport To Stop Stamping Of Boarding Passes From August 2018!

There is some good news for passengers flying from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport!

Starting next month, Delhi International Airport Limited(DIAL) will stop the practice of physically stamping boarding passes for passengers travelling on domestic airlines.

DIAL has said that, this process will start with GoAir passengers flying out of Terminal 2 (T2) and will eventually be extended to other airlines flying from the remaining 2 terminals (T1 & T3).

Head Of Central Industrial Security Force(CISF), Mr. M.A. Ganapathy, had last week asked the operators of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore airport to do away with the practice of stamping “Security Checked” on a passenger’s boarding pass at the earliest.

While Delhi Airport has given a timeframe as to when they will start this process, It is expected that Mumbai & Bangalore airport will announce their plans to implement this practice in the near future.

The process of doing away with stamping of airplane tickets is similar to the one adopted to phase out stamping of hand baggage tags. To make these a success and keep security under check , airports will have to use HD CCTV cameras and other high tech security equipment to fix accountability, in case something goes wrong.

Mumbai airport has improved its security in this aspect and has installed E-Gates near the Pre Embarkation Security Check (PESC) area. They have also installed HD cameras at Terminal 2, to capture a clear picture of passengers as well as the security personnel frisking them.

Stopping the practice of stamping boarding passes will be the next step in allowing domestic passengers a complete paperless travel experience. They will just have to show their boarding passes on their personal electronic devices like mobiles, scan the airplane ticket barcode & board the airplane.

Read More

Why You Should Visit An Airport Lounge The Next Time You Fly!

For many travellers, ‘Airport Lounge’ is a mystery!

But, if you’ve been to one before, you’ll know that it’s actually a place of tranquillity amongst the hustle and bustle of airport rush.

It’s a common belief that airport lounges are only accessible to business or first class flyers, but that’s not entirely true.

If you travel only a few times a year, you might have a tough time justifying the cost of an annual lounge membership. However, some programs let you in on one-day or short-term passes and the benefits of it are significant!

So if you reach the airport early and are wondering what to do, here are a few reasons to go and visit an airport lounge!

Quiet & Peaceful

One of the most attractive benefits of a lounge is that it offers you a secluded getaway from the large crowds.

Airport lounges offer large, comfortable chairs, with plenty of space to stretch out your travel tiredness away.

You can pass your time by reading magazines or catching up on the news and other entertainment on TV.

It’s a comfortable space with great facilities that are exclusive only to you and other guests in the lounge.

Great Place To Work

Lounges are great when you want to get some work done!

Apart from the peaceful surrounding, lounges offer you wi-fi & desks with power sources where you can use your own laptop or notebook.

In fact, these days lounges have business centers where you can make copies & send a fax or book a conference room for a meeting.

Exclusive Customer Service

Airline-affiliated lounges are typically staffed with employees who have full access to the airline’s reservation systems and flight details.

They can help you with just about anything like checking on upgrades, changing reservations, verifying flight connections, you name it!

Also, airport lounge agents are much more readily available as compared to those at the customer service counter with long lines in front of them.

Food & Beverage

All lounges offer some amount of complimentary food and snacks along with tasty beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).

However, the quantity and choices are dependent upon the affiliated airline and the lounge.

In some lounges, you’ll find full buffet meals, while others offer snacks and heavy appetizers.

Some lounges also offer deluxe meals and premium branded drinks , which are available for purchase.

So, skip on that fast food and indulge yourself to culinarily delights, along with your favourite drink.

Worldwide Network

Airline-sponsored lounges are typically located in the airline’s most important airports, generally near the boarding gates.

Apart from airline lounges, there are other independent airport lounges you can become a member of, such as the “Plaza Premium Lounge” which has 160 lounges all over the world.

So, if you’re travelling abroad and have a connecting flight to catch, you can relax before your flight and take advantage of lounge facilities anywhere in the world.

Now that we’ve told you why you should visit an airport lounge, let us tell you how you can enter one.

Try Pay-Per-Use Lounges

These are independent lounges that can be accessed by any traveller, regardless of the airline or flight class.

Pay-Per-Use lounges are the perfect solution to unexpected delays and extended layovers, by offering exclusive facilities at a small fee depending on the hours of your stay.

These are typically a bit expensive but it’s definitely worth a few hours of stay.

Price: Approx. Rs 5000 for a Day Pass*

Join Independent Lounge Networks

These memberships offer access not just to a specific airline lounge, but also to a large network of independent lounges across the world.

Try “Priority Pass” for economical yearly memberships to more than 1000 lounges or The “Plaza Premium Lounge” membership for a First-Class experience.

Price:

Priority Pass: Approx. Rs 7000 per year*

Plaza Premium Lounge: Approx. Rs 2000 per visit*

Sign Up For Frequent Flyer Programs

If you travel by a specific airline (or airlines in the same alliance) frequently, it is best to join their frequent flyer program.

You can earn miles on every flight you take to attain elite status and get complimentary access to partnered airline lounges.

Choose a program that suits you best, depending on the locations and frequency of your travels.

Frequent flyer programs can be signed up for free. However, Just remember to put in your membership number while booking a flight.

Read More about “How To Save & Spend Frequent Flyer Miles Like A Pro

Use Credit Card Privileges

Besides exclusive travel benefits and rewards, several credit card companies offer access to airport lounges.

For instance, American Express or HDFC come with credit cards which offer complimentary access to many domestic/international lounges, and reduced rates for the rest.

To choose the right one, check the credit card perks before applying!

Request For A Free Upgrade

Asking for a free upgrade is never a bad idea!

The airline staff at the check-in counter has the power to give free business-class upgrades and access to their lounges as long as there is availability.

So dress well, be polite and it might just be your lucky day!

If you want to know more about different lounges available at your airport, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App to get information about prices and locations of different airport lounges along with real-time flight updates and Airline Information.

* Please note that all prices mentioned here are only indicative. They are meant to give you a general idea. For the actual price and other details please refer to your airport lounge’s official website.

Read More

Cochin International Airport Awarded UN’s Highest Environmental Honour!

Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) will soon be awarded the 2018 ‘Champion Of Earth’ award, which is the highest environmental honour given by the United Nations(UN).

The award is being given to honour the successful implementation of the solar energy project at the airport.

A special team led by Mr Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),had visited the Cochin Airport to study about its solar initiatives. They held a discussion with the chief minister of Kerala, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also the chairman of CIAL.

Managing director of CIAL, Mr. V J Kurian, has said that Cochin International Airport has set an ambitious example by becoming the world’s first fully solar-powered airport and he hopes that others will follow their example.

He also said that CIAL has shown the world that big infrastructure projects like airport can be operated using alternative sources of energy.

United Nations established the “Champions Of Earth” award in 2005 to recognise outstanding environmental leaders from public/private and the civil society.

CIAL has been chosen in the “Action & Inspiration” Category, which recognises individuals or organizations that have taken bold environmental action, and in doing so, inspired others to follow in their footsteps.

By September 2018, CIAL will increase the airport’s solar plant capacity, from 30 Milliwatt power to 40 Milliwatt power, which will produce 60 million units of power every year. This will help the airport cut energy costs by Rs 40 Crore per annum and reduce carbon emissions by more than 9 lakh metric tons over the next 25 years.

The prestigious award will be presented at a gala ceremony which will be held near the UN General Assembly, in New York, on 26th September 2018.

Cochin Airport, which was the first Indian airport to be developed under a public-private partnership, had handled 10 million passengers last year. It also witnessed a 22% increase in the domestic passenger volume and 4% increase in international passenger arrivals in the Financial Year 2017-2018.

Read More

Service Standards At Major Indian Airports To Be Closely Monitored!

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Of India(AERA) has announced that they will soon start monitoring the quality of passenger service at major Indian airports.

The authority will check if big Indian airports are meeting the service standards they have promised, in terms of time taken for various processes like check-in, security check and immigration.

AERA is responsible for fixing tariffs for Indian Airports which handle more than 15 million air travellers in a year. They are responsible for deciding the taxes, such as User development Fee, that a passenger has to pay.

They have said that AERA will start linking passenger service quality at an airport to determine the tariffs. They will start penalizing airports with sluggish services and reward those where passengers can breeze through the airport.

This decision has been taken to stop the congestion at airports during peak travel hours. Their concern is that airports have started to resemble overcrowded railway stations, where serpentine-like queues are a common site at check-in desks, security checks and immigration counters.

This has mainly happened because private airport operators and Airports Authority of India (AAI) have failed to meet the infrastructural demands after air travel exploded over the last few years.

According to AERA’s Chairman, Mr. S. Machendranathan, they will be appointing consultants to measure the quality of services provided at big airports. If the service standards are not met, AERA will start penalising them.

Hopefully, with this, airports will now make an extra effort to make sure that an air passengers journey through the airport is hassle-free.

Read More

Indian Airports May Soon Get 3D Scanners To Check Hand Baggage!

Removing laptops, tablets and liquid items during airport security checks may soon become a thing of the past.

Some of the busiest airports in the world are conducting trial runs for screening bags using 3D technology.

The Central Industrial Security Force(CISF), who is in charge of security at Indian airports, is closely keeping a watch on these trials and might decide to test it here.

3D scanning machines have so far been tested at the New York’s JFK Airport and Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. London Heathrow airport is currently conducting trials of this technology.

CISF released a statement saying that to implement this system they will have to change the rules regarding physical checking of handbags. They also said that senior officials at the Civil Aviation Ministry are very positive about this new technology and might consider bringing it to India.

According to a Bangalore Airport spokesperson, preliminary discussion to install 3D scanning machines at the city’s airport are underway. They are looking forward to deploying this technology with a view to enhance customer experience and make airport security more efficient.

Most Indian airports, over the past few years, have not been able to improve their airport security infrastructure, leading to long serpentine-like queues during peak hours.

In fact, CISF had raised a red flag last year, over increasing rush at security checkpoints at busy airports. According to a report released by them, the total passenger traffic at all airports has increased by 65% over the past 5 years. However, this increase is skewed and abnormally high during peak hours at certain airports.

The CISF report also says that despite this huge increase, the security infrastructure and manpower have remained the same. This has resulted in congestion at security checkpoints and undue pressure on security personnel for speedy clearance.

Since expanding airport infrastructure takes time, technology like this will surely help manage the growing air passenger traffic at Indian airports.

Read More

5 More Indian Airports To Allow Tag-Free Hand Baggage!

To make a passenger’s airport experience hassle-free, Central Industrial Security Force( CISF) has been continuously bringing changes to its airport security procedures.

On Monday, CISF announced that they will stop the practice of hand baggage stamping at the Khajuraho Airport, Swami Vivekanand Airport in Raipur, Jorhat Airport, Dimapur Airport and Shillong Airport.

A total of 42 Indian airports, including the 5 airports mentioned above, have done away with hand baggage stamping.

This new airport security regime was launched in April 2017 by CISF in consultation with the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

In order to implement this system, airports have had to upgrade their security arrangements by installing smart cameras and other high-tech security equipment.

According to a CISF Official, the operators of these 5 airports were asked to increase the length of the conveyor belt of the x-ray machine, so that handbags could be checked easily.

CISF Director, General Rajesh Ranjan, had recently released a statement saying that this practice will be implemented on all airports under CISF, by the end of 2018. Currently, CISF handles the security at 60 airports across India.

The old process of stamping hand baggage had become a major irritant for air travellers and airport authorities around India received many complaints about it.

Passengers complained that this process is a hassle for them because its very time consuming and in case they forgot to get it tagged, security personnel at the boarding gate would send them back.

CISF has acted upon these complaints and with technology advancing at a fast pace, all these procedures have now been replaced by smart gadgets to better equip security personnel at the airport.

Read More