Pack an extra 10kg: Emirates hikes India, Pakistan baggage allowance

Flying Emirates for your summer sojourn in India or Pakistan? You may pack an extra 10kg.

The Dubai-based airline is now offering an additional 10kg free baggage allowance in its economy class for all destinations in India and Pakistan for outbound travel until July 31.

A circular issued by the airline to travel agencies and customers said ticketed PNRs will automatically be updated with the extra baggage allowance approval.

Technical terms and conditions remain, however. “The extra free baggage allowance will only be applicable to tickets purchased in UAE for directional travel commencing in Dubai,” the airline said.

The new free baggage allowance has just been announced.

“It is a welcome decision. Most other airlines offer 30kg or less of free baggage, and the Emirates offer is putting pressure on other airlines,” said the manager of a Dubai-based travel agency.

“This is summer vacation time and airlines are becoming very strict about additional baggage allowance. I had to spend Dh800, double the air fare charged by a budget carrier, because I had excess baggage. I will now prefer to travel by Emirates because 10kg extra baggage would make a lot of difference to families travelling to the Indian subcontinent,” said an Indian passenger who is planning to go home during the upcoming vacation season.

Even UAE-based budget carriers have been offering handsome baggage allowances to maintain their edge over rivals. Sharjah-based budget carrier Air Arabia has already revised its free baggage allowance and passengers are being given an option to carry 15kg of free baggage allowance with higher slabs available for those wishing to carry heavier luggage.

Meanwhile, travellers are puzzled by the recent move by some Indian carriers to reduce the free baggage allowance from 20kg to 15kg on domestic routes in India. They are also said to be planning to extend the reduction in baggage allowance to their international routes.

Air India announced in the first week of May  that the free baggage allowance is being reduced from 20kg to 15kg on its domestic routes and that the airline would start charging about Rs200-250 per kg on excess baggage.

This followed a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) circular that allowed Indian carriers to charge fees for ‘unbundled services’ like check-in baggage, preferential seats, meals, snacks or drink (barring drinking water) and sports and music on their domestic flights.

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