Government Suspends 60 Percent Free Flight Seats Selection Rule After Airlines Object

The government has held the decision on the 60% free flight seat selection rule, as per the latest reports. Domestic airlines indeed had an objection to the decision. Now, the government has suspended it. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has officially made the announcement.

Weeks before the government’s instruction to airlines to offer at least 60% of seats on a flight without imposing any extra fee was set to take effect, it has been put in abeyance.

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The Civil Aviation Ministry issued instructions to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on March 18, instructing airlines to reserve at least 60% of the seats on any flight for selection at no additional cost, in order to guarantee fair access for passengers. April 20 was the day the mandate was supposed to go into effect.

The matter has been examined in light of representations received from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air, highlighting the operational and commercial implications of the aforementioned clause, including its possible impact on fare structures and consistency with the current deregulated tariff regime.

“In light of the above and until a complete review of the matter, the provision requiring at least 60 percent of seats to be offered free of charge will be suspended until further orders,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a letter to the DGCA.