No More Extra Charges for Preferred Seats on Flights: Rules Revised
The government has capped the fees for seat selection on flights. Airlines have been mandated to designate 60% of their seats as free of charge.
Air passengers in India may soon find significant relief from hidden costs, as the government has taken steps to curb additional charges levied for seat selection and to further strengthen passenger rights across all airlines. In a major move, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed airline operators to ensure that approximately 60% of the seats on any given flight are available for selection free of cost.
This implies that the extra fees currently collected from passengers during web check-in or seat selection will be curbed.
Summary
The objective of this directive, issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is to make air travel more seamless and transparent. Many airlines had been levying additional charges for selecting preferred seats after ticket booking or during the web check-in process. The new directive aims to put a check on such practices and provide better amenities to passengers.
