Most air travellers carry similar looking popular baggage brands. It is advisable to always put your own personal identification sticker on your checked baggage so that a fellow passenger does not claim it by mistake..

Before approaching the check-in counters, you may be required to pass all your pieces of baggage to be checked in through the X-ray machines operated by security personnel.

AIR INDIA (IC) offers additional free baggage allowance to members / Silver Edge / Golden Edge / Maharaja Club of flying returns members.

DIMENSIONS
Under the Piece Concept the Free Baggage Allowance will be carried as per the specifications detailed below:-

Excess Pieces
In case a Passenger is carrying more number of pieces than allowed, the additional piece(s). Will be weighed and excess baggage charged on the basis of excess baggage rate per kilogram.

Excess Weight
In case the number and size of the pieces of baggage is within the allowance as per the piece Concept, but the weight is more than the permitted weight, excess baggage would be charged on the basis of excess baggage rate per kilogram.

Oversized Baggage
In case weight of the baggage is within the allowance but the baggage is oversized, i.e more than the specified dimensions, a flat charge for 10 kgs. On the basis of excess baggage rate per kilogram would be levied. Any baggage the sum outside linear dimensions of which exceeds 203 cms (80"), will not be accepted as a part of free baggage allowance and will be weighed and excess baggage charged on the basis of excess baggage rate per kilogram for the entire piece of baggage.

Oversized and Excess weight Baggage
In case a baggage is both oversized (within 203 cms ) and overweight, a charge for 10 Kgs will be made for the excess size and a separate charge for excess weight will be made on the basis of excess baggage rate per kilogram.

SPECIAL ITEMS
The following Special Items are permitted as Free Baggage Allowance under Piece Concept on Domestic Travel. These Articles, regardless of the actual dimensions, (provided the Linear dimension of the Article do not exceed 140 Cms) will be accepted:

• One sleeping bag or bedrool.
• One rucksack / knap sack / back pack
• One pair of snow skis with one pair of ski poles and one pair of ski boots
• One golf containing golf clubs and one pair of golf shoes.
• One duffel type bag or B4 type bag (duffel bag means a canvas cylindrical shape closed. At one end by means of draw ropes, and B4 means a suitcase type of hand bag Made of canvas with leather bindings and fittings and with expandable canvas Compartments on the two sides of the bag.) 
• One bicycle (single seat, touring or race bicycle, non-motorized, provided the handle-bars are fixed sideways and pedals removed ) may be accepted.
• Any portable musical instrument not exceeding 45" (115 cms) in length.

In order to ensure safety of the aircraft and passengers as well as the convenience of fellow passengers, only one piece of cabin baggage of specified dimensions can be carried in the cabin. The sum of three dimensions should not exceed 45 inches for Jet Aircraft & 34 inches for other aircrafts.

In addition to one piece of cabin baggage or package, you may also be permitted to carry the following items, subject to Security Regulations:

• Lady's hand bag.
• An overcoat or wrap.
• A rug or a blanket
• A camera or a pair or binoculars
• Reasonable amount of reading material for the flight.
• Infant's feed for consumption during the flight and infant's carrying basket if an infant is carried.
• Collapsible wheelchair or pair of crutches or braces for passenger's use if dependent on these.
• A gift item purchased from the Airport duty free shop.
• Walking stick.
• Umbrella (Folding type)
• Feeding bottle.
• Shaving kit, excluding razor blade and straight razors.
• Medicines required during Flight like Asthma inhaler etc.
• Laptops.
• Cell phones.

An odd sized cabin baggage not conforming to the specified dimension will not be allowed in the cabin. Such baggage will be removed at the gate / boarding point, Will be affixed with a "Limited Release Baggage Label" and will be loaded in the hold.

Children are entitled to the same cabin baggage allowances as adults.

When an infant (not entitled to a seat or free baggage allowance) accompanies an adult, a carrycot, or a fully collapsible push chair/stroller is allowed. This may be carried in the cabin if space is available, or else as checked baggage.

Due to security reasons / Government regulations, passengers travelling on flights originating from certain stations like Jammu, Srinagar etc. are not allowed to carry any hand baggage. Please check the current regulations of the station.

Due to security requirements, passengers may be asked to physically identify their checked baggage before boarding. Baggage identification ensures that the baggage of a passenger, who does not board after check-in for any reason, is not loaded on the aircraft. Any baggage, which is not identified by any passenger is not loaded on the aircraft and is taken charge of by the airport security.

AIR INDIA (IC) also follows the internal matching system of passenger and baggage reconciliation at some airports, where passengers may not be required to do identification.

Effort is made to bring the first lot of baggage to the baggage claim area within ten minutes of the arrival of flight and complete the delivery within twenty minutes..

Inspite of physical constraints like the limited number of baggage dispersal belts, their use by other operators as well and the occasional non-scheduled bunching of arrivals, all efforts are made to avoid delay in the delivery of baggage.

Despite all efforts to transport the baggage along with passengers, there may be stray cases of non-receipt of baggage or occasional damage during transportation.

AIR INDIA (IC) rate of mishandling is among the lowest in the world. At major airports, there are baggage service units, which function during the operational hours of the airport..

Non-receipt, damage or pilferage has to be immediately reported to the airlines officials and a copy of "Property Irregularity Report" or "Damaged Baggage Report", as the case may be, obtained before leaving the airport premises.

Delivery without complaint is a prima facie evidence that the baggage has been received by the owner intact.

Whenever baggage has been reported missing, immediate action is taken to restore the baggage to the owner. If the baggage still remains missing, AIR INDIA (IC) pays compensation at the rate of Rs.450/- (Rupees four hundred and fifty only) per kilogram for checked baggage on domestic flights and USD 20 per Kilogram on international flights.

Since the cabin baggage is always in the custody of the passenger, the airline is not liable for its loss or damage.

Please note that the liability of all airlines in case of mishandling is restricted and all IATA Airlines follow the principle of limited liability. Items of value like currency, precious metals, jewellery, negotiable instruments, securities and personal identification documents, etc. are best carried in cabin baggage or in person, as the Airline has no liability for the same.