Big relief for flyers! Modi government takes THIS step, mandates 60% seats on flights to be…

Earlier, seat allocation was governed by Air Transport Circular (ATC)-01 of 2024. Under this, the “unbundling of services” was allowed.

In a major relief for flyers, the government has taken a significant step. To curb extra charges on seat selection, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a landmark directive. According to this, it is now mandatory that 60% of seats on flights be offered free of charge. Earlier, the rules were more flexible for airlines, which often led to higher costs for passengers.

Earlier, seat allocation was governed by Air Transport Circular (ATC)-01 of 2024. Under this, the “unbundling of services” was allowed. This meant that selected seats were separated from the base fare, allowing airlines to charge extra for preferred seats such as window, aisle, and extra legroom.

Before the 60% rule, airlines were allowed to charge for almost any seat as a “preferential seat.” In many cases, nearly the entire cabin was monetized, leaving very few or even no free seats available during web check-in.