New Delhi: In a major move to curb “seat-blocking” charges, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a formal directive requiring all Indian airlines to offer at least 60 per cent of seats on every flight without any additional selection fee. This regulation, detailed in an amended Air Transport Circular dated March 20, 2026, is set to take effect on April 20. The decision follows a March 18 announcement by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry aimed at ensuring fair access for passengers who have increasingly complained about the high costs—ranging from ₹200 to ₹2,100—associated with choosing seats during web check-in.
Under the new rules, airlines must maintain a transparent seat allocation policy and clearly display the availability of these free seats on their booking interfaces. Furthermore, the regulator has instructed airlines to ensure that passengers travelling on the same PNR (Passenger Name Record) are allotted seats in proximity to one another, preferably in the same row, as far as practicable. Currently, airlines are only required to provide 20 per cent of seats for free, with most carriers charging for almost all window, aisle, and extra-legroom seats. The circular also mandates transparent disclosure of charges for optional services like sporting equipment or musical instruments, including liability conditions for potential damages.
The directive has met with significant pushback from major carriers, including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet. Represented by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), these carriers argued in a letter to the ministry on March 20 that the move would force them to hike base airfares to recover lost ancillary revenues. Despite these objections, the aviation watchdog remains firm, emphasizing that the 30-day implementation window is intended to allow airlines to reconfigure their backend booking systems. With Indian airports now handling over five lakh passengers daily, the government views this as a necessary step to protect consumer interests amid rising travel costs.
