Government makes a U-turn on 60 pc free seat selection on flights

The Centre has suspended its directive requiring airlines to offer 60 per cent seats free of charge from April 20, following industry concerns. The policy will remain in abeyance pending review, while existing seat selection rules and charges continue

New Delhi: The government has suspended its earlier direction to airlines to offer at least 60 per cent of seats on any flight free of additional charge, which was set to come into effect from April 20.

The Civil Aviation Ministry, in a communication to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said the matter had been reviewed following representations from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air, which flagged operational and commercial implications of the provision, including its potential impact on fare structures and consistency with the prevailing deregulated tariff regime.

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The government noted that in view of the above, and pending a comprehensive examination of the issue, it has been decided that the provision relating to offering at least 60 per cent of seats free of charge shall be kept in abeyance till further orders.

At present, 20 per cent of seats on a flight can be booked free of charge, while the remaining seats are subject to a fee. Airlines currently charge between Rs 200 and Rs 2,100 for seat selection, depending on factors such as front-row positioning and extra legroom.

The original direction announced by the Civil Aviation Ministry on March 18 was aimed at addressing rising passenger complaints over high charges for services including seat selection. The Ministry had issued fresh guidelines through the DGCA mandating that passengers travelling on the same PNR be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats, among other passenger-friendly measures.

The rollback comes even as India has emerged as the third-largest domestic aviation market globally, with Indian airports handling over five lakh passengers daily. The Ministry said it remains committed to passenger facilitation, transparency and upholding safety standards across the aviation ecosystem.