The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently announced that from April 20, airlines will start offering at least 60 percent of the seats on a flight without charging any additional charges, along with maintaining a transparent seat allocation policy.
According to a PTI report, the civil aviation ministry on March 18 announced that instructions have been issued to the aviation watchdog and asked airlines to allocate at least 60 percent seats for selection on any flight for free, a move to ensure fair access for passengers.
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Revised rules for airlines
Based on the Ministry’s instructions, the DGCA issued an amended air traffic circular on March 20, which will come into force on April 20. According to the revised circular, “airlines should maintain transparent seat allocation policies and clearly communicate seat availability and relevant conditions on their booking interfaces.”
In addition, the DGCA noted that passengers traveling with the same Passenger Name Record (PNR) should be allocated seats close to each other as far as possible, meaning adjacent seats in the same row should be allocated.
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The circular also states that airlines must clearly and transparently state on their websites and booking platforms any applicable fees for optional services related to sports equipment or musical instruments, along with any terms stating liability in the event of damage.
Currently, only 20 percent of seats can be booked free of charge, the rest are paid. Citing a DGCA official, PTI noted that airlines are gearing up to implement this new directive.
The DGCA said the circular will come into force 30 days from the date of its issue.
Airline seat selection fee
Currently, airlines charge between ₹200 a ₹2,100 for seat selection depending on several factors, including front rows and extra legroom.
The development comes amid growing concerns that airlines are charging high fees for various services, including seat selection.
Air India, IndiGo oppose DGCA decision
Last week, IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet expressed strong opposition to the decision, saying that requiring airlines to offer at least 60 percent of seats without withdrawal fees would likely force them to raise ticket prices to compensate for revenue losses.
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents these carriers, in a letter urged the civil aviation ministry to reconsider and withdraw the directive. In a letter dated March 19 to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, the FIA said the DGCA’s decision would have “unintended and adverse consequences” for the aviation sector.
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He added: “The financial impact of the directive on airlines will be significant and will force airlines to recoup lost revenue through fare increases. As a result, all passengers, including those who may not wish to pre-select their seats, will pay higher fares.”
The association noted that seat selection fees are a legitimate component of airline revenue, particularly in a high-cost environment where costs are rising year-on-year under a regime regulated by regulator AERA, which awards airports full cost recovery plus an assured margin.
He further said that while the move may seem beneficial at first glance from the perspective of passengers, its overall outcome would be counterproductive as higher fares would reduce consumer choice and affordability.
Airports across India currently handle more than 500,000 passengers per day.
