Saudi Arabian Airlines has cut its permissible baggage weight by 20% to 32kg from 40kg and has restricted the number of bags per passenger to just one cabin bag and one check-in baggage. The new baggage policy will be implemented from September 1, a fortnight before the Haj pilgrimage begins.
The airline will charge passengers $100 or 350 Saudi riyals, the equivalent of around Rs 5,400, for each extra bag weighing not more than 23 kgs.
Officials from the airline said that passengers, especially Haj pilgrims, usually travel light to Saudi Arabia. But after performing their pilgrimage they go shopping for family and friends and return with baggage weighing between 80 kg and 140 kg each, more than three times the permissible limit. "The chances of the new policies affecting Haj pilgrims travelling to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are very high.
Saudi Arabian Airlines cuts baggage allowance
