A Major Gift for Airline Passengers: 60% of Seats Available at No Extra Charge; Tickets to Become Cheaper..

Starting April 20, airlines will offer 60 percent of their seats to passengers without any extra charge. This initiative aims to promote transparent seat allocation on flights. This information was provided by the aviation regulator, the DGCA. This move will reduce the financial burden on passengers, as airlines currently levy separate charges for seat allocation.

**Circular Issued on March 20**
Before this, on March 18, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued directives to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), mandating that 60 percent of seats on all flights be allocated to passengers free of charge. In response, the DGCA issued a revised Air Transport Circular on March 20.

Furthermore, the new guidelines issued by the DGCA stipulate that passengers traveling under the same PNR (Passenger Name Record) should be seated together. Efforts will be made to ensure they are assigned adjacent seats. This will provide significant convenience to families or groups traveling together.

The Ministry stated that facilities for transporting items such as sports equipment and musical instruments on flights will also be provided in a transparent and streamlined manner, subject to compliance with safety and operational regulations. Similarly, airlines will be required to formulate clear and transparent policies regarding the transportation of pets.

Additionally, the Ministry has emphasized passengers' rights. It will be mandatory to uphold passengers' rights in situations involving flight delays, cancellations, or denied boarding.

Airlines must clearly display passengers' rights on their websites, mobile apps, booking platforms, and airport counters. Information regarding passengers' entitlements should also be provided in local languages ​​to ensure it is easily understood by a wider audience.

India has emerged as the world's third-largest market for domestic aviation. Under the 'UDAN' scheme, air travel has become significantly more accessible. The country's airports handle over 500,000 passengers daily, a figure that underscores the rapidly growing popularity of this sector.

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