Air India to levy fine for extra hand baggage for Dubai, Abu Dhabi passengers

Air India and Air India Express, its budget carrier have begun restricting the hand baggage weight for passengers coming from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as many of the passengers break prescribed weight norms with their duty-free shopping, reports an English daily.

Free allowance for hand bagage are strictly limited to 8 kg for Air India and 7 kg for Air India Express, inclusive of duty-free items. However many a times passengers carry at least double the free allowance weight without being noticed. Baggage with weight over 7-8 kg will be charged a fee of 60 Dirhams (Rs 1,035) per excess kilo and taken from the passenger at the boarding gate.

Add-ons that are exempted from carry-on baggage weighing include ladies' hand bags, overcoat or wrap, rug or blanket, camera or binoculars, reasonable amount of reading material, infant feeding items and carrying basket, collapsible wheelchair or a pair of crutches or braces for passengers dependent on them, walking stick, foldable umbrella, laptop and medicines required during the flight.

Prem Sagar, manager of Air India and Air India Express in Dubai and Sharjah, said: "It is basically to dissuade people from carrying too much of excess weight and ensure that the weight is properly recorded for the safety of the aircraft."

Sagar said that it was wrong to conclude that the airline was not in favour of passengers buying duty-free items. The carry-on bags will be weighed at the gates before passengers board the flights. "If the passengers are planning to buy more duty-free items, it is better not to keep many items in their hand baggage and end up paying extra," Sagar said.

"In fact, we are also spending money to take the facility from our ground handlers," another official said to the daily.

AI has sent out advisories to travel agents and coming up with spreading awareness among passengers. "Notices will be prominently displayed at the check-in counters. Check-in agents will also remind passengers about the strict implementation of the rules," Sagar added.

Officials from Dubai Duty Free and Dubai Airports said they were looking at issue. "As stakeholders, we understand the issues with taking excess hand baggage on-board the aircraft, and of course we also understand the passengers' desire to buy duty free as they depart," an official statement said.

"We are monitoring the situation at these boarding gates at the moment and, till now there is no evidence of bags being weighed prior to boarding. Should this happen, we are ready to allow passengers to return items purchased at Dubai Duty Free, with full refund."

Eugene Barry, executive vice president, commercial group, Dubai Airports, added: "This is a seasonal operating issue for many Indian and African airlines at this busy travel time. We are in close contact with Dubai Duty Free on the matter."