Less than a month after Jet Airways increased charges for excess baggage, the country's largest domestic carrier, on April 1, hiked charges for re-booking or cancelling tickets by Rs 200 (from Rs 750 to Rs 950). A Jet Airways spokesperson confirmed the hike without citing any reason. Last month, the airline had cited rising jet fuel cost for the increase in its excess baggage charges.
It increased the charges from Rs 150 per kg of excess baggage to Rs 200 per kg. "The revision in excess baggage charges by Jet Airways is on account of the recent increase in aviation turbine fuel prices as baggage weight directly contributes to fuel burn," said a Jet Airways spokesperson. Air passengers have opposed the hike in re-scheduling and cancellation charges because Jet Airways, along with its low-cost subsidiary JetKonnect, cater to more than one-fourth of the domestic fliers in the country. "Re-booking flights is common for frequent fliers as business meetings are often re-scheduled. Increasing cancellation charges would discourage people from flying," said Sudhakar Reddy, National President, Air Passengers' Association of India, according to a report by Soubhik Mitra in Hindustan TImes. Reddy added that a meeting of airline CEOs called by the Civil Aviation Ministry on March 6 had concluded that domestic carriers were bleeding solely owing to high jet fuel costs. "They should focus on cutting fuel costs as opposed to burdening passengers by hiking baggage and cancellations charges," he added. Already, airfares this summer are likely to be higher than last year. "The 4.94 per cent increase in service tax will make an economy class ticket costlier by at least Rs 200. Worse, fares are already 20 per cent higher than normal owing to reduction in Kingfisher flights," said a Colaba-based travel agent, requesting anonymity.
Click here to see the original article>It increased the charges from Rs 150 per kg of excess baggage to Rs 200 per kg. "The revision in excess baggage charges by Jet Airways is on account of the recent increase in aviation turbine fuel prices as baggage weight directly contributes to fuel burn," said a Jet Airways spokesperson. Air passengers have opposed the hike in re-scheduling and cancellation charges because Jet Airways, along with its low-cost subsidiary JetKonnect, cater to more than one-fourth of the domestic fliers in the country. "Re-booking flights is common for frequent fliers as business meetings are often re-scheduled. Increasing cancellation charges would discourage people from flying," said Sudhakar Reddy, National President, Air Passengers' Association of India, according to a report by Soubhik Mitra in Hindustan TImes. Reddy added that a meeting of airline CEOs called by the Civil Aviation Ministry on March 6 had concluded that domestic carriers were bleeding solely owing to high jet fuel costs. "They should focus on cutting fuel costs as opposed to burdening passengers by hiking baggage and cancellations charges," he added. Already, airfares this summer are likely to be higher than last year. "The 4.94 per cent increase in service tax will make an economy class ticket costlier by at least Rs 200. Worse, fares are already 20 per cent higher than normal owing to reduction in Kingfisher flights," said a Colaba-based travel agent, requesting anonymity.