Everything You Need To Know About Airline Baggage Rules In India!

Air travel In India has grown exponentially, and in recent years airlines have started cashing in on this.

Airlines have started charging a fee to bring extra luggage on flights.

With baggage fee rules becoming more complex and the fees getting expensive, It can be quite a task to keep a track of hand baggage sizes and weights for each airline.

To help you understand this, here is everything you need to know about baggage policies that most airlines follow.

Check-In Baggage

A)Baggage Allowance Rules

In line with international regulations, your baggage allowances will either be set by how many pieces or the total weight of luggage you can travel with.

The rules depend on where you’re travelling to.

1.Weight Concept

Passengers travelling from India to Far East(Except Japan)/Southeast Asia and Gulf/Middle East countries are allowed free baggage allowances based on the weight of the baggage and the class they are travelling in.

Usually, a passenger is allowed to carry up to –

• 40 Kgs of check-in baggage in First Class
• 30 Kgs of check-in baggage in Business Class
• 20 Kgs of check-in baggage in Economy Class

2.Piece Concept

Under this concept, the airline allows free baggage allowance based on how many pieces of luggage you can travel with, its maximum weight and dimension.

Here are the rules-

• A person can get 2 pieces of luggage checked-in for free.
• Each bag has a weight limit of 32kgs
• The total of all dimensions (Length, Breadth &Height) of each bag cannot be more than 158cm (62 inches)

Airlines that fly from India to Europe, North America, South America , Australia & Africa follow these rules for free baggage allowance.

B) Excess Baggage

Airlines charge you Excess-Baggage fees if your check-in luggage weight exceeds the limit. There is no standard price for excess luggage and it’s up to the airline to set the prices.

• You will have to pay anywhere between Rs 300 to Rs 500 per kg for domestic flights.
• You will have to pay anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 800 per kg for International flights
• There is no cap on the number of bags you can check-in, but their combined weight should be below the limit.

You do have an option to pay less for excess baggage. If you join different membership programs offered by airlines, you can carry more luggage with you without paying any fee.

For example, If you are a ‘GOLD’ or ‘MAHARJAH’ member of Air India’s “Flying Returns” program you can carry 20 kg of extra luggage with you.

Carry-on Baggage

A)Baggage Allowance Rules

With the growing emphasis on airline safety worldwide and to avoid overcrowding of overhead bins in the cabin, airlines are becoming stringent with rules regarding carry-on baggage.

Here are the rules for Carry-on baggage in India

• Most airlines allow only 1 piece of hand baggage per person.
• You can carry anywhere between 7-8 kgs of hand baggage, depending on the airline.
• The length, breadth & height of the bag have to be less than 55x35x25 centimeters respectively and the overall total of the dimensions should not be more than 115 cm.

B) Excess Baggage

As mentioned above, most airlines only allow one piece of hand baggage per person, however, some airlines allow you to carry more than one bag depending on the weight dimensions and airline rules.

In addition to your carry-on bag, you can bring along the following items-

• Handbag
• Laptop bag
• Rug/Blanket
• Camera Bag
• Collapsible wheelchair
• Walking Sticks
• Umbrella
• Infant’s Carry Basket
• Duty-Free Items (carry the invoice)

Airlines such as SpiceJet And IndiGo charge you a fee of Rs 350 – Rs 400  if the combined weight of the items mentioned above and your carry-on luggage is more than 8 kgs.

Special Baggage

If your luggage is not of the standard size & weight and if it requires special handling then you might have to pay more depending on the airline. These type of items are called Out Of Gauge (OOG) baggage.

OOG baggage is the luggage that is very heavy, too large, very light, fragile, does not have at least 1 flat surface or can damage or slow down the baggage handling management system.

Baggage that is outside the standard dimensions for airport luggage and cannot be sorted out by normal conveyor belts come under this category.

Here are a few examples –

• Sports Equipment
• Flat Screen Television
• Extra Large Carpets or Blankets
• Musical Instruments

So, if you want to know more about your airline’s baggage policy, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App to get information regarding different airline policies/regulations to plan your trip on the move and Fly Stress-Free!

*Please note that all weights, prices and specifications mentioned here are only indicative. They are meant to give you a general idea of baggage policies. For the actual price and baggage allowance details please refer to your ticket or the rules of the airline you are flying with.