SHANGUMUKHAM: Air India Express has withdrawn the concession on child travel fares. It became a huge blow to the expats who fly home and abroad during vacation.

Earlier, Air India had given 20 percent discount to children aged between 2 and 12 years. Now it has been withdrawn as part of the reforms following Tata's takeover of Air India Express. With this, children below 12 years of age also have to buy regular tickets. This discount was only provided by Air India Express.

The booking website was updated to bring Air India Express and Air Asia India ticket bookings on one platform. Following this, children and adults will be charged the same rate. Air India services from Dubai and Sharjah airports to Kozhikode have been discontinued and replaced by Express services. The cancellation of the concession is also to make up for the loss of 2,200 seats per week due to the discontinuation of Air India.

For children up to two years of age, only the ticket tax amount should be paid. But Express is planning to change this benefit as well. At the same time, Air India is not ready to give refund or another ticket to those who bought tickets on flights that got cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic.