In a major relief for air travellers in India, the government has directed all airlines to ensure that at least 60 per cent of seats on every flight are made available free of cost, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in an official press release. Reported by Hindustan Times.
The directives have been issued to “strengthen passenger convenience, transparency and uniformity of practices” across all Indian airlines.
60% seats on flights to be free of cost
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has instructed all airlines to ensure that a minimum of 60% of seats on all flights are provided free of cost to passengers. This move has been introduced to ensure fair access, according to the official release.
Until now, only a limited number of seats were available free of cost during ticket booking or even at the time of online check-in.
Booked seats together? You will now be seated together
Another important directive states that passengers booking tickets under the same PNR (Passenger Name Record) should be seated together. The government has also said that seating such passengers adjacent to each other should be “preferred”.
Other new directives for airlines
The government has also issued several additional guidelines for airlines. The transport of sports equipment and musical instruments must be handled in a clear and passenger-friendly manner, while still adhering to safety and operational rules. Airlines are also required to publish transparent policies regarding the carriage of pets.
Further, strict compliance with passenger rights has been mandated, particularly in situations involving delays, cancellations, and denied boarding.
Airlines must clearly display passenger rights on their websites, mobile applications, booking platforms, and at airport counters. Additionally, information regarding passenger entitlements must be made available in regional languages to improve accessibility and awareness.
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