<p>India's national carrier Air India and its budget airline will restrict the weight of hand luggage carried by passengers from the UAE from July 1.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The free allowance for hand luggage will be strictly restricted to 8kg for Air India and 7kg for its budget airline Air India Express inclusive of duty free items.<br /><br />Also, the carry-on bags will be weighed at the gates before passengers board the flights, a senior airline official was quoted as saying by The Khaleej Times.<br /><br />"If the baggage weighs more than the free allowance, a fee of 60 Dirhams (USD 16) per excess kilo would be charged at the gate," said Prem Sagar, manager of Air India and Air India Express in Dubai and Sharjah.<br /><br />This is introduced at the peak time of summer travel from the UAE, Sagar said most other airlines flying to India have already been charging excess carry-on baggage at the gates.<br /><br />"The baggage weighing at the gates policy will begin with flights from Sharjah on July 1. There could be a delay of a few more days to start it in Dubai," he said.<br /><br />"Passenger hand baggage is usually assumed as 7 or 8 kgs whereas there are people who sometimes carry 10-15kgs extra. That's not something good for the aircraft's safety.<br /><br />"It is basically to dissuade people from carrying too much of excess weight and ensure that the weight is properly recorded for the safety of the aircraft," he said.<br /> </p>
<p>India's national carrier Air India and its budget airline will restrict the weight of hand luggage carried by passengers from the UAE from July 1.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The free allowance for hand luggage will be strictly restricted to 8kg for Air India and 7kg for its budget airline Air India Express inclusive of duty free items.<br /><br />Also, the carry-on bags will be weighed at the gates before passengers board the flights, a senior airline official was quoted as saying by The Khaleej Times.<br /><br />"If the baggage weighs more than the free allowance, a fee of 60 Dirhams (USD 16) per excess kilo would be charged at the gate," said Prem Sagar, manager of Air India and Air India Express in Dubai and Sharjah.<br /><br />This is introduced at the peak time of summer travel from the UAE, Sagar said most other airlines flying to India have already been charging excess carry-on baggage at the gates.<br /><br />"The baggage weighing at the gates policy will begin with flights from Sharjah on July 1. There could be a delay of a few more days to start it in Dubai," he said.<br /><br />"Passenger hand baggage is usually assumed as 7 or 8 kgs whereas there are people who sometimes carry 10-15kgs extra. That's not something good for the aircraft's safety.<br /><br />"It is basically to dissuade people from carrying too much of excess weight and ensure that the weight is properly recorded for the safety of the aircraft," he said.<br /> </p>