From October 29, Air Algérie customers are only allowed to check in one suitcase which must not exceed 23 kg.
The transition from baggage allowance per kilogram to that per piece with a reduction in the maximum weight included in the ticket price was officially announced by the national airline this Tuesday, October 24.
Air Algérie is abandoning the per kilogram allowance which was very appreciated by its customers. In fact, the allowance allowed several suitcases to be checked in provided they did not exceed the authorized 30 kilograms.
From next Sunday, Air Algérie customers will only be entitled to check in one suitcase in the hold, which must not exceed 23 kg.
If checking in a suitcase weighing more than 23 kg, customers must pay a flat rate according to the new excess baggage scale which differs depending on the destination. Adding other baggage is no longer free.
The new formula is more restrictive in terms of the number of bags. Air Algérie is losing one of its major commercial assets to its competition.
Change of baggage allowance: risky bet for Air Algérie?
However, the change in baggage allowance does not cause much concern at Air Algérie. Officials at the national airline remain confident about the company’s competitiveness in the face of competition.
Questioned by VVA – Visas & Voyages, Fouad Faïdi, Director of Revenue Management at Air Algérie explained the reasons for moving to the per-piece franchise.
In addition to the compliance with international standards already mentioned by the company spokesperson Amine Andaloussi in his previous statements given to us, Fouad Faïdi believes that the new franchise will contribute to the “optimization of costs flights” at Air Algérie.
“The problem has never been the number of kilos recorded but the number of suitcases. You should know that the old franchise was very expensive. A higher number of suitcases means a higher kerosene bill. In certain international stopovers, assistance charges per piece which is too expensive. For operations, the new system is more advantageous. Less baggage means more fluidity in flight management in terms of punctuality,” explains Fouad Faïdi.
Air Algérie: towards tickets with fares without baggage
The head of Air Algérie also highlights the advantages of the new franchise in the battle with competitors. With cost control, Air Algérie will be able to be more aggressive regarding ticket prices compared to its competitors who also use the piece rate system.
“The new franchise allows us to remain cheaper on the market while having the capacity to be more enterprising with baggage-free fares or reduced fares,” indicates the Revenue Management director of Air Algérie.
Increase in Air Algérie ticket prices
Concerning the increase in ticket prices recorded in recent days, Fouad Faïdi explains that it is cyclical given that it coincides with the strong demand for tickets during this All Saints’ Day holiday period in France.
Air Algérie with its cheaper tickets and its catering is able to maintain the same level of competitiveness despite the new baggage allowance limited to a single piece, he assured.
Finally, the baggage allowance per piece is not new at Air Algérie since this system was already applied on long-haul flights such as Montreal, Dubai, Beijing, Johannesburg where passengers are allowed two pieces.
