Air India not to carry VIPs’ excess luggage
27 Aug 2012
Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh has directed national carrier Air India to reject all excess baggage that VIPs check in with. This should end the practice of ministers and civil servants carrying excess baggage free of cost during their free flights, a senior official said.
Since ministers and civil servant travel free in domestic airlines, there is a tendency among them to burden airlines with excess luggage as well, as it comes free.
In a letter to Air India CMD Rohit Nandan last week, the civil aviation minister has asked the airline to immediately stop carrying excess luggage that VIPs check in with.
The minister's directive follows an earlier directive to domestic airlines that they must cater to all requirements of ministers and members of Parliament and should arrange for officials to attend to them.
The minister has specifically asked the national carrier not to entertain any such requests by these VIPs as its primary job is to generate revenue.
On an average, airline officials said, they get over 100 requests from ''important persons'' for waiver of excess baggage fees on Air India flights.
