Airlines Push Back Against 60% Free Seat Order, Warn Govt Of Higher Fares

New Delhi: India’s leading airlines have escalated their opposition to the Centre’s directive mandating 60 per cent free seat selection, warning regulators of a wider impact on the aviation sector and urging an immediate rollback of the order.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), cautioning that the move could have “adverse consequences” for airline operations and financial stability.

In its communication to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, the FIA has sought immediate withdrawal of the directive, which requires airlines to offer a majority of seats free of charge, including for advance selection.

The industry body has argued that the order amounts to “regulatory overreach” into the commercial functioning of airlines, particularly in areas of ancillary revenue. It underscored that preferential seating, such as front rows or extra legroom, has long been treated as an optional, unbundled service.

Citing a 2017 ruling by the Delhi High Court, the FIA said the judiciary had clearly recognised airlines’ right to charge for such services. “Preferential seating is a valid unbundled offering, transparently disclosed and available on a non-discriminatory basis,” the body noted, adding that the DGCA does not have the authority to fix or regulate such fees in the absence of specific trigger conditions.

The FIA further argued that mandating free allocation of seats or restricting charges would be inconsistent with settled legal principles and could create uncertainty in regulatory policy.

Airlines have also warned of a potential ripple effect on fares. With operational costs rising and margins under pressure, carriers rely on add-on services like seat selection to supplement revenues. Any curbs on these streams, they say, may force them to compensate through higher base ticket prices.

The government’s directive, however, is aimed at providing relief to passengers who often pay extra for seat selection. Under the new rule, only a limited category of premium seats may attract additional charges.

What Govt’s Latest Notification Says

Under new passenger-focused norms issued by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation through the DGCA, Indian airlines have been asked to ensure that at least 60 per cent of seats on any flight are available free of seat selection charges to ensure fair access.

Other initiatives aimed at enhancing the ease of travel include passengers travelling on the same PNR are to be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats, carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments to be facilitated in a transparent and passenger-friendly manner, subject to applicable safety and operational regulations.

The Ministry also ordered the airlines to bring out clear, transparent policies for the carriage of pets and strict adherence to the passenger rights framework, particularly in cases of delays, cancellations and denied boarding.

The airlines have also been asked to prominently display passenger rights across airline websites, mobile applications, booking platforms and airport counters. They have been directed to ensure clear communication of passenger entitlements in regional languages to ensure wider accessibility and awareness.

Other directives include UDAN Yatri Cafés for affordable food, flybrary for free access to books and the provision of free Wi-Fi at the airports across the country.

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