No chaRgINg foR check-IN baggage, foR Now: govt

NEW DELHI: Putting its weight firmly behind passengers, government on Saturday said it has, as of now, rejected budget carriers’ plea to allow them to charge for check-in baggage. Confirming that airlines had approached the aviation regulator, Director General of Civil Aviation, for a nod, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said that the government has not accepted the request at this stage as it would put additional burden on the passengers. “We have got the proposal from low-cost flights to charge for check-in baggage. We have rejected it and there will be no consideration at the Aviation Ministry level. We will not want to put this burden on the passengers,” Sharma told a private TV news channel. He also said that his ministry has asked the airlines to send a detailed proposal on the issue.