Mumbai: India has ordered airlines to offer a majority of seats free of charge and ensure passengers on the same booking are seated together, tightening oversight of ancillary fees and service standards.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, acting on directions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said carriers must allocate at least 60% of seats on every flight without levying seat selection charges to ensure “fair access”.
Airlines have also been asked to seat passengers travelling on the same PNR together, “preferably in adjacent seats”, addressing a frequent consumer complaint as carriers increasingly unbundle fares.
The directive extends to ancillary services, with airlines required to publish “clear, transparent policies” for carriage of sports equipment, musical instruments and pets, subject to safety and operational norms.
The regulator reiterated “strict adherence” to passenger rights rules in cases of delays, cancellations and denied boarding, where compensation and assistance norms are already defined.
Carriers must also ensure “prominent display” of passenger rights across websites, mobile applications, booking platforms and airport counters, and communicate entitlements in regional languages.The move targets a growing stream of add-on revenues, particularly seat selection fees, as India’s airlines navigate fare competition and volatile fuel costs.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, acting on directions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said carriers must allocate at least 60% of seats on every flight without levying seat selection charges to ensure “fair access”.
Airlines have also been asked to seat passengers travelling on the same PNR together, “preferably in adjacent seats”, addressing a frequent consumer complaint as carriers increasingly unbundle fares.
The directive extends to ancillary services, with airlines required to publish “clear, transparent policies” for carriage of sports equipment, musical instruments and pets, subject to safety and operational norms.
The regulator reiterated “strict adherence” to passenger rights rules in cases of delays, cancellations and denied boarding, where compensation and assistance norms are already defined.
Carriers must also ensure “prominent display” of passenger rights across websites, mobile applications, booking platforms and airport counters, and communicate entitlements in regional languages.The move targets a growing stream of add-on revenues, particularly seat selection fees, as India’s airlines navigate fare competition and volatile fuel costs.
