IndiGo raises fees for excess baggage, infants and priority services, increasing travel costs

Indian airline IndiGo has revised charges for several optional and special services, increasing the cost of excess baggage, infant tickets, unaccompanied minor services and priority check-in and boarding.

The revised fees could increase the overall cost of travel for passengers using these add-on services, particularly families travelling with infants, children flying alone and passengers carrying excess baggage, according to reports in Indian media.

International travellers face higher charges

Passengers flying internationally will also be affected by the revised fees.

IndiGo’s unaccompanied minor service for international travel has been revised to Rs 12,999.

The airline’s Fast Forward priority service, which offers priority check-in and boarding, will cost Rs 850 per sector on international flights.

For domestic travel, the Fast Forward charge has been increased to Rs 650, according to reports.

Excess baggage now costs Rs 800 per kg

Passengers carrying more luggage than their permitted baggage allowance will now pay Rs 800 for every additional kilogram, up from Rs 700 previously.

The revised charge applies to baggage carried above the applicable allowance and is separate from the standard airfare.

Travellers with additional luggage may therefore want to check the baggage allowance and applicable excess baggage charges before booking or travelling.

Infant ticket charges revised

IndiGo has also revised charges for infants aged between three days and two years.

An infant must have a ticket even though no separate seat is assigned. The applicable fee depends on how the ticket is booked, with the airline revising both pre-booking and airport-counter charges.

Parents travelling with infants should check the latest applicable fee when making their booking.

Unaccompanied minor service costs more

The airline has also increased charges for children travelling without an accompanying adult.

For domestic journeys, IndiGo’s unaccompanied minor service for children aged five to 12 years will cost Rs5,999, up from Rs5,000.

For international travel, the revised charge is Rs12,999.

Parents booking flights for children travelling alone should check the applicable requirements and service charges before completing the booking.

Fast Forward priority service

Passengers opting for IndiGo’s Fast Forward service will also pay more.

The service, which offers priority check-in and boarding, now costs Rs 650 for domestic flights. For international travel, the charge is Rs 850 for each sector of the journey, according to Indian media reports.

Travel certificate fee increased

IndiGo has also increased its travel certificate fee to Rs 300, from Rs 200 previously.

The revised charges are separate from the airline’s standard ticket fare and applicable baggage allowance and apply only when passengers use the respective optional services.

What passengers should check before flying

The latest changes mean the final cost of an IndiGo booking can vary depending on the services a passenger requires.

Travellers should check the airline’s latest fee schedule before booking, particularly if they are:

• Carrying excess baggage

• Travelling with an infant

• Booking travel for an unaccompanied child

• Flying internationally

• Adding priority check-in or boarding services

The revisions are part of IndiGo’s periodic review of charges for ancillary services. Similar fee reviews are also carried out by other airlines as they update their optional-service pricing.