In a big relief for air travellers, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered airlines to provide at least 60% of seats on every flight free of cost from April 20, 2026.
This means passengers will not have to pay extra to select many of the seats while booking tickets. Until now, airlines were offering only a small number of seats for free, and most passengers had to pay additional charges to choose seats like window or aisle.
The new rule aims to reduce these extra costs and make ticket pricing clearer for travellers. Many passengers had complained that airlines were adding high seat selection fees, making flights more expensive than expected.
Under the new guideline, more than half of the seats on a flight must be available without any extra charge. However, airlines can still charge for certain premium seats, such as those with extra legroom or special locations.
The DGCA has also asked airlines to make sure that passengers travelling on the same booking are seated together as much as possible. This will help families and groups avoid paying extra money just to sit next to each other.
Another important part of the rule is transparency. Airlines must clearly show all optional charges, including seat selection fees, during ticket booking. This will help passengers understand the total cost before making a payment.
Airlines, however, are not fully happy with this decision. They say that seat selection fees are an important source of income. With fewer paid seats, airlines may try to recover the loss by increasing basic ticket prices in the future.
Experts believe the move will benefit passengers immediately by lowering hidden costs. But they also warn that ticket prices could change depending on how airlines adjust to the new rule.
