Air India: Now lock your flight rate for two days by paying nominal fee

Air India's 'Fare lock' feature allows passengers to secure a fare for two days by paying a nominal fee, allowing them to confirm their travel plans

Tata Group-owned Air India on Wednesday announced a feature called "Fare lock" that allows customers to secure or reserve a chosen fare for 48 hours.

Travellers have the option to secure their fare for a period of two days by paying a nominal fee, allowing them to confirm their travel plans at the same time.

"This helps customers to plan their travels without having to worry about unexpected fluctuations in fares and availability for their preferred flight options. The feature is available for flight options at least 10 days away from the date of booking the service," said the airline in a statement.

To use this feature, customers must select their preferred flight options during the booking process and opt for the "Fare lock" feature, paying a non-refundable fee. Later, customers can revisit their bookings via the website or mobile app and confirm their reservations at the pre-selected fares using the "Manage Booking" option.

The "Fare lock" feature is available at a fee (inclusive of taxes) varying by route and applicable per passenger per ticket. For a domestic flight, the fee amount is Rs 500. For a short-haul international flight departing India, the fee is Rs 850, whereas for a long-haul international flight departing India, the fee amount is Rs 1,500.

Air India partners with Delhi Metro

Air India on Tuesday announced a partnership with Delhi Metro and Delhi airport to introduce a check-in service for international air passengers at two metro stations in Delhi.

This initiative allows passengers to check in their baggage at the metro station, freeing them to explore the city without their luggage. The baggage is securely transported to the aircraft using advanced automated infrastructure provided by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).

Currently available for domestic flights, this service will now cater to international travellers as well, operating at two Delhi metro stations — New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium — from 7 am to 9 pm, the airline said.

DGCA issues show cause notice to Air India

Last week, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show cause notice to Air India for inordinate delay of at least two international flights and failure to take due care of passengers.

Two international flights — AI 183 from Delhi to San Francisco on May 30, and AI 179 from Mumbai to San Francisco on May 24 — were delayed.

The delay of both flights caused discomfort among passengers as the cabin lacked sufficient cooling. Additionally, the regulatory authority has noted multiple instances of Air India causing discomfort to passengers, which contravenes DGCA norms, as outlined in the show cause notice.