APAI urges govt to challenge HC's decision in apex court

The APAI, an air passengers' body, today urged the government to challenge in the apex court the Delhi High Court's decision to set aside capping of fee for excess checked-in baggage on private airlines.

The Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) also urged the civil aviation ministry to "immediately" call a meeting of all stakeholders on this issue and other related issues, including high ticket cancellation fee being charged by the carriers.

Dealing a blow to the "passenger-centric" measure of the Civil Aviation Ministry, Justice Vibhu Bakhru set aside the DGCA's June 10, 2016, circular, which allowed private airlines to charge only Rs 100 per extra kg till 20 kg as against their earlier rates, ranging from Rs 220 to Rs 350.

Currently, all domestic carriers allow free checked-in baggage up to 15 kg. Only Air India allows free baggage up to 23 kg.

"This decision (to cap excess baggage charges) was taken by the civil aviation ministry in isolation. It did not consult all the stakeholders before giving a go ahead to the DGCA. The high court's decision should be challenged in the apex court," APAI president D Sudhakara Reddy told

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)