Airlines must offer 60 percent seats free under new government norms
Families to be seated together, clearer rules on baggage, pets and passenger rights in latest mandate
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Prefer us on GoogleLast Updated: Mar 19, 2026, 11:27 IST2 min
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Airlines will now have to allocate at least 60 percent of seats free of charge and ensure passengers on the same booking are seated together. The announcement was part of new "passenger-focussed measures" announced by the government on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the changes are aimed at improving transparency and making air travel more predictable for passengers.
Free seats, clearer rules
Under the new norms issued through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), passengers travelling on the same PNR should be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats.Airlines have also been asked to clearly define their policies for carrying sports equipment, musical instruments and pets, in line with safety and operational requirements.
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The DGCA has reiterated that airlines must follow passenger rights rules, especially in cases of delays, cancellations and denied boarding.
Passenger rights will also have to be prominently displayed across airline websites, mobile applications, booking platforms and airport counters. The ministry said this information should be communicated in regional languages to improve awareness.
How seat pricing works
Most domestic flights in India are operated using narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo, A321neo and Boeing 737 variants, which typically have between 138 and over 200 seats, largely in economy configuration.Advertisement
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Airlines segment these seats based on location and charge separately for window, aisle, front-row and extra-legroom seats, while only a limited number of seats are available without a fee at the time of booking.
Seat selection charges vary across airlines. IndiGo typically charges between Rs200 and Rs 2,000, with exit-row and front seats costing up to around Rs1,300.
Air India charges for preferred seats such as front row and extra legroom, with prices ranging from about Rs250 to Rs1,300 depending on the route.
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Akasa Air’s seat selection starts at around Rs150 and goes up for preferred or extra-legroom seats, while SpiceJet charges from about Rs300 for preferred seats and Rs799 and above for extra-legroom options.
Passenger traffic rising
India is now the third-largest domestic aviation market globally, with airports handling more than five lakh passengers daily, the ministry said. It added that initiatives such as UDAN [Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik] Yatri Cafes for affordable food, Flybrary for access to books and free Wi-Fi at airports have been introduced to improve the overall travel experience.Fares rise amid fuel costs
The announcement comes after airlines raised fares and introduced fuel surcharges following a rise in aviation turbine fuel prices linked to geopolitical developments.Air India said it would levy a surcharge of Rs399 on domestic and South Asian routes and $10 on West Asia routes. Charges for Southeast Asia routes have been increased to $60 and Africa to $90, with Europe set to rise to $125 from March 18.
IndiGo introduced a sector-based surcharge starting at Rs425 for domestic and Indian subcontinent routes, going up to Rs2,300 for long-haul routes such as Europe. Akasa Air said it would charge between Rs199 and Rs1,300 per sector depending on flight duration.
First Published: Mar 19, 2026, 11:36
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