DGCA Directs Airlines to Offer 60% Seats at No Extra Charge from April 20

The regulator said airlines must ensure “at least 60% of the seats in any flight shall be offered free of charge”, as mentioned in the DGCA circular. Airlines will begin offering at least 60 per cent of seats on every flight without any extra fee from April 20, according to the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). They have also been directed to follow a clear and open seat allocation policy. This comes after an announcement by the civil aviation ministry on March 18 that airlines had been instructed to ensure that at least 60 per cent of seats on each flight are offered free of charge, to ensure fair access for passengers. The aviation regulator issued a revised Air Transport Circular on March 20. A DGCA official told news agency PTI that the circular will come into force from April 20. 60% seats in flights to be offered free of charge: What the circular says The regulator said airlines must ensure “at least 60% of the seats in any flight shall be offered free of charge”, as mentioned in the DGCA circular. "Airlines should maintain transparent seat allocation policies and clearly communicate the availability of free seats and applicable conditions on their booking interfaces," it read. The regulator also said that passengers booked under the same PNR (Passenger Name Record) should, as far as possible, be seated together. This usually means seats next to each other in the same row. An official told the news agency that airlines are preparing to implement the new rule. At present, only 20 per cent of seats can be chosen without a fee, while the rest require payment.