Good news for air travellers! Indian airlines can't charge money for issuing boarding pass at airports

Airlines are not permitted to impose any additional fees when providing boarding passes at check-in desks in airports, as per the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Currently, a cost is assessed by IndiGo, the biggest airline in India, if a traveller requests a boarding pass at the check-in desk. This additional amount is not in accordance with the instructions according to the provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937, it said. In view of the above, the airlines are advised not to charge any additional amount for issuing boarding passes at the airport check-in counters, as the same cannot be considered within the 'tariff' as provided under Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, it mentioned. On May 21, 2020, the ministry made it mandatory for passengers to do web check-in and get a boarding pass then itself.

"It has come to the notice of MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) that airlines are charging additional amount for issuing boarding passes from the passengers," the ministry said on Twitter. This additional amount is not in accordance with the instructions as per the provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937, it said.

It has come to the notice of MoCA that airlines are charging additional amount for issuing boarding passes from the passengers. This aditional amount is not in accordance with the instructions given in the aforesaid order or as per extant provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937. pic.twitter.com/nf3IC5uOQJ — MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) July 21, 2022

The airline further said, "In view of the above, the Airlines are advised not to charge any additional amount for issuing boarding passes at the airport check-in counters, as the same cannot be considered within the 'tariff' as provided under Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. This has the approval of Competent Authority."

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However, on May 9, 2022, the ministry issued an order stating that airlines should encourage, facilitate and guide the passengers in doing "timely web check-in and bag tag printing" and "minimise or avoid" imposing penal charges on passengers who have not done web check-in. The ministry on Thursday said the practice of airlines charging an additional fee for issuing boarding passes at airport check-in counters is not in accordance with the May 9 order.

With inputs from PTI