After IndiGo, Jet Airways to charge for seat selection

NEW DELHI: The charge for pre-selection of seats has now extended to international flights of full service Indian carriers as well. Jet Airways has started charging for advance reservation of seats in economy class on all international routes operated by Boeing 737 aircraft from early May. The airline, which operates the Boeing 737 to neighboring regions like Gulf and Nepal, will charge Rs 1,500 for front row seats; Rs 500 for row 10 seats and Rs 250 for window and aisle seats on rows 11 to 15. The pre-booking charge will not apply to middle seats of the single aisle B-737.

Low cost carrier IndiGo, which operates a single aircraft type ( Airbus A-320), had earlier decided to charge for seats on both its international and domestic flights. Air India is working on its software to start levying this fee, making Jet the first full service Indian carrier to charge for pre-selection of seats from economy flyers on global flights. AI and Jet have reduced the free check-in baggage weight limit from 20 kg to 15 kg for their domestic economy flyers.

LCC SpiceJet, which is yet to introduce a new charge after the government recently allowed unbundling of services, is learnt to be examining a number of 'packages'. The airline is planning to have a single charge that will book a seat in front two rows; provide meals in that and have priority check-in and baggage retrieval. The other option being examined is to have a package excess baggage charge instead of a per kg fee.

AI, which was the first to announce a lower baggage allowance for domestic flyers, is now working on a similar plan for economy class international passengers. It will re-examine the free baggage check-in allowed on flights between India and Gulf and Southeast Asia. The current allowance for economy passengers flying from India to Gulf if 30 kg and from Gulf to India is 40 kg. The free baggage allowance between India and Southeast Asia is 30 kg.

After deciding the Gulf and Southeast Asia routes, AI will relook the allowance on flights to US and Europe. At present, two bags of 23 kg each are allowed to economy passengers to and from US. The allowance for Europe varies from 20 kg to 40 kg, with different limits for London, Paris and Frankfurt.