28
Nov
2018
Web check-in fee by airlines comes under Govt scanner
The government is reviewing airlines’ decision to charge passengers for selection of any seats during web check-in as it looks to ascertain whether the move violates existing rules.
While the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Monday did not specifically mention any airline, IndiGo claimed that it has “neither changed its web check-in policy nor is there any charge for web check-in” — a day after saying that all seats are chargeable for web check-in.
By way of web check-in, passengers verify their presence on a flight online and seats can also be chosen.
Replying to a customer’s query on Twitter on Monday, SpiceJet said: “pre-allocation of seats through web check-in is on chargeable basis”.
No-frills airline IndiGo is the largest domestic airline with a market share of nearly 43 per cent in October and its announcement on Sunday through Twitter triggered concerns, with many users of the microblogging site raising questions.
Against this backdrop, the Ministry said it would review the decision.
“MoCA has noted that airlines are now charging for web check-in for all seats. We are reviewing these fees to see whether they fall within the unbundled pricing framework,” the Ministry said in a tweet.
When asked whether the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was looking into IndiGo’s decision to charge for all seats at the time of web check-in, a senior official of the regulator replied in the affirmative. “Yes, as per our regulations,” he told PTI.