UAE-India travel: Air India Express offers 10kg extra baggage for Dh1

Dubai: Air India Express has launched what it describes as an unprecedented festive season offer, allowing passengers flying from Gulf countries to India to add 10kg of extra baggage for just Dh1.

The promotion, which the airline says has "never before" been offered, is available to travellers departing from all GCC countries, with similar pricing across the region. In the UAE, passengers can purchase the additional baggage allowance for one dirham.

The offer comes as the Indian diaspora in the Gulf prepares for the festive season, with major celebrations, including Diwali, approaching. The offer applies to all Gulf-India flights, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar.

“We understand that Indian passengers travelling home for the holidays may have several gifts they would want to carry to their loved ones,” said PP Singh, Regional Manager – Gulf, Middle East and Africa, Air India.

However, there is an important condition. The extra baggage must be purchased at the time of booking the ticket and cannot be added after the ticket has been issued.

This means passengers need to plan their baggage requirements in advance when making their reservation. The promotion is valid for bookings made from now until October 31, with travel permitted until November 30.

Airfares from the UAE to India are already 30 to 40 per cent higher than shoulder rates, driven by the compressed booking window and limited availability on key routes.

Air India Express is expected to make changes to its winter schedule and reduce flight frequencies to South India. An airline source had told Gulf News that the schedule adjustments are temporary, seasonal changes driven purely by market demand patterns, and that normal service levels will resume when the summer schedule begins in March.