Airlines can’t charge extra fees for boarding pass

July 22, 2022 Hot from the Oven Valli Sarvani No comments

Due to the pandemic, the Ministry of Civil Aviation made it mandatory for air passengers to do web check-in and get a boarding pass online to avoid the crowd at the counters. Since then, air passengers have been doing web-check and getting their boarding pass online.

However, later, due to the decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, services at the check-in counters were started. Some passengers are getting their boarding pass at the check-in counters.

But, many airlines like SpiceJet, IndiGo, Go First etc., are charging ₹200 to issue boarding passes at these check-in counters.

In this context, the government said that airlines should not charge any additional fee for issuing a boarding pass to passengers.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) yesterday said that charging an additional fee for issuing a boarding pass at check-in counters is not compliant with the government’s order.

The MoCA tweeted that many airlines are charging an additional amount for issuing a boarding pass at check-in counters in airports. It is not following the provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937.

Earlier in May, the MoCA issued an order asking airlines to encourage passengers to web check-ins and guide them with bag tag printing.

At that time, the ministry said that passengers could avoid the levy of penal charges with web check-ins.

In other words, all airline passengers should do timely web check-in to avoid penal charges imposed by airlines on passengers who have not done web check-in.

Many airlines misunderstood it. They started charging an additional fee of ₹200 for issuing a boarding pass at check-in counters at the airports.

As the matter has been brought to the notice of the ministry, it has clarified that airlines should encourage passengers to web check-ins. But they should not charge an additional amount. It is not as per Aircraft Rules, 1937.

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