Airlines to allocate 60% seats for free: Ministry of Civil Aviation
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The other directions, by the Ministry, include passengers travelling on the same PNR to be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats and others.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued some important directions through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to strengthen passenger convenience, transparency and uniformity of practices across airlines.
In a recent notice, the ministry has directed the airlines to allocate minimum 60% of seats for free of charge to ensure fair access. The other directions include passengers travelling on the same PNR to be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats; The carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments to be facilitated in a transparent and passenger-friendly manner, subject to applicable safety and operational regulations. Airlines shall also bring out clear, transparent policies for carriage of pets.
As per the Ministry, strict adherence to passenger rights framework, particularly in cases of delays, cancellations and denied boarding must be mandated by the airlines. Passenger’s right shall be prominently displayed across airline websites, mobile applications, booking platforms, and airport counters. Clear communication should be there in the regional languages of passenger in to ensure wider accessibility and awareness.
The Ministry has also undertaken several passenger-centric initiatives to enhance ease of travel, including UDAN Yatri Cafés for affordable food, Flybrary for free access to books and provision of free Wi-Fi at airports.
