The days of getting a printout of your e-ticket from the airline counter for free are gone.

Rising costs and mounting losses have forced the airline companies to explore different ways to boost their earnings. After Jet Airways, low-cost carriers SpiceJet, Indigo and GoAir will now charge passengers Rs 50 to issue a copy of their e-tickets at the airport.

Introduced last week, travellers will have to shell out extra for the print-out, a service which was free until now.

Passengers are needed to issue a printout for entry into the airport terminal and for a boarding pass at the check-in counters.

The first airline to introduce the charge was Jet Airways, which started it from May 15.

Soon to follow suit were IndiGo and GoAir that introduced a similar fee from last week followed by SpiceJet.

Justifying the move, Jet Airways had said that it had to invest in manpower and infrastructure just for passengers seeking printouts of e-tickets.

For airline companies, the earnings through such extra charges fall under the ‘ancillary revenue' category. However, it has not gone down well with flyers in a price-sensitive market in India.

“Airlines should manage their expenses in better ways. E-ticket printouts are being made redundant across the world. Passengers use smart phones where they merely have to show an image of the ticket. Airline companies are fishing in wrong waters and should, in fact, switch to technology for the convenience of the travellers,” said Mr Iqbal Mulla, President, Travel Agents Association of India.

Air India and Kingfisher Airlines do not charge the fee.

niveditag@thehindu.co.in

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