IndiGo Hikes Charges for Baggage, Infant Travel and Priority Boarding

Travellers flying India's largest airline are set to pay more for a range of add-on services after IndiGo quietly revised several of its ancillary charges in recent weeks, according to sources cited by news agency PTI, a move that comes as carriers across the industry grapple with elevated fuel costs.

What is getting costlier

For infants travelling on domestic IndiGo flights, defined as children above three days and under two years of age, the charge has been increased to Rs 3,000 from Rs 2,200, with rates on international routes varying separately. Excess baggage charges on domestic routes have also gone up, rising to Rs 800 per kilogram. Fees for unaccompanied minors, children travelling without an adult, now stand at Rs 5,999 for domestic flights and Rs 12,999 for international journeys, both higher than before, according to details listed on the airline's website. Passengers opting for priority check-in and boarding, sometimes referred to as fast-forward services, will now pay Rs 650, an increase of roughly Rs 200 from the earlier rate, while the fee for travel certificates has been revised to Rs 300 from Rs 200.

No official word from the airline

IndiGo did not offer any public comment on the revisions when approached, and the exact prior rates for some of the affected categories could not be independently confirmed at the time of reporting. One source familiar with the airline's pricing decisions said the increases across ancillary services have come in recent weeks as the carrier contends with rising operational costs, pointing in particular to elevated aviation turbine fuel prices as a key driver. Ancillary revenue, the income airlines generate from add-on services beyond the base fare, has become an increasingly important part of the business model for low-cost carriers globally, and IndiGo is no exception given its scale in the Indian market.

Why it matters for flyers

The timing is notable given IndiGo's dominant position in Indian skies, with its domestic market share standing at 67.4 percent as of July, meaning the revised charges will touch a large share of India's flying public, from families travelling with infants to business travellers who rely on priority boarding to save time at the gate. For passengers planning trips involving checked baggage beyond the free allowance, unaccompanied minors, or those who value faster boarding, the changes translate into a modestly higher total cost of travel even where headline airfares remain unchanged. Industry watchers note that other domestic carriers have periodically revised similar charges in the past as fuel and operational costs have fluctuated, and IndiGo's latest move is likely to be watched closely to see whether rivals follow with comparable adjustments of their own in the coming weeks.

For now, the airline has not indicated whether further ancillary fee revisions are planned, leaving travellers to factor in the higher charges when budgeting for upcoming domestic and international trips.

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