India's DGCA mandates 60% of flight seats be free of charge
Airlines' reservations teams must offer 60% of seats without extra charges
Change
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an amended Air Transport Circular requiring airlines to offer at least 60% of seats on any flight free of additional charge from April 20 and to publish transparent seat-allocation policies and optional-service charges.
Why it matters
Airlines must present at least 60% of seats on every flight as selectable at no extra cost and show that availability on booking interfaces. Airlines must publish clear seat-allocation policies and display all charges and liability conditions for optional services on websites and booking platforms. Passengers sharing a Passenger Name Record (PNR) must, as far as practicable, be allotted seats in close proximity to one another.
Implications
- — Reservations and revenue-management teams at Indian airlines must update booking systems and seat-inventory rules by April 20 — failing to do so will leave sold tickets non-compliant with the DGCA circular and expose the airline to regulatory enforcement.
- — Customer-service and ground-operations teams at Indian airlines must implement same-Passenger Name Record (PNR) seating procedures from April 20 — failure to seat PNR-linked passengers together will breach the DGCA requirement and risk regulator action.
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Source
View on Economic Times