Passengers flying to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Air India will now be permitted to carry 10 kgs extra than they earlier could. The state-run airline has increased its baggage limit from 30 kg to 40 kg.

The changes will be immediately effective for those who make bookings from Tuesday onwards, PTI said, quoting Air India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Ashwini Lohani at an Indian community event in Dubai.

"As demanded by the people here, Air India will allow passengers to carry 40 kgs as luggage in the check-in besides the usual 7 kg that the traveller carries as hand baggage," Lohani said.

The attendees at a reception at the India Club in Dubai, hosted by Nilgiri Trading LLC CEO Chandrashekhar Bhatia, demanded Lohani to raise the baggage limit to 40 kg. The reception was held to welcome the launch of Indore-Dubai and Kolkata-Dubai flights. The Indore-Dubai flight is the first international commercial flight by Air India for the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Bhatia and financial consultant, Harish Mishra among others who migrated to Dubai from Indore over two decades back said the direct flight from Indore will reduce the travel time from te earlier minimum 10 hours to just 3:30 hours, providing major relief to the people of Madhya Pradesh, PTI reported.