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Air India Boeing 737-8 Credit: Air India
Air India is rolling out a basic economy fare that it will trial on select domestic routes to determine if it should be offered more widely.
The option becomes the airline’s fourth economy fare category since it introduced a price-segmented economy cabin in 2024.
Air India’s basic economy fare includes more allowances than similarly branded fares in Europe and the U.S. The key difference from the carrier’s other economy fare categories is basic does not include a meal.
Basic economy passengers will be allowed to check a bag up to 15 kg (33 lbs.) and carry on a bag up to 7 kg. They will also receive beverage service featuring tea and coffee.
The “value” fare, previously the carrier’s lowest economy category, has the same baggage allowances and beverage services, but also includes hot meals.
The “classic” and “flex” categories offer higher weight allowances for checked bags, with classic including lower rescheduling fees and flex featuring no rescheduling fee. Cancellation fees are also lower in the two categories.
“By unbundling certain services, Air India is enabling price-conscious travelers to pay only for what they need, while preserving full-service offerings for those who value an all-inclusive experience,” the airline said, adding that the “fare families are designed to align with evolving traveler preferences.”
Basic economy passengers will be allowed to pre-purchase hot meals up to 24 hr. before departure.
Air India said the basic economy fare is in a “pilot phase.” The carrier will “assess customer response and feedback” from passengers purchasing the fare on select domestic routes. The feedback will “guide decisions on the future of the offering,” the airline added.
