Civil aviation ministry suspends 60% free seat selection rule pending review
The move had triggered strong objections from carriers, which argued that such a mandate could disrupt existing fare structures under India’s deregulated aviation pricing regime.
Less than three weeks after directing airlines to offer at least 60% of seat selection free of charge in every flight to improve passenger facilitation, the ministry of civil aviation has kept the order in abeyance following concerns raised by airlines over its operational and commercial impact.
The directive would remain suspended until further orders while the government conducts a detailed examination of the issue, the Centre said in a 2 April letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Mint has reviewed a copy of the letter.
The ministry had earlier written to the aviation safety regulator on 17 March asking airlines to strengthen passenger facilitation measures and ensure that at least 60% of seats in any flight are offered free of charge.
The move had triggered strong objections from carriers, which argued that such a mandate could disrupt existing fare structures under India’s deregulated aviation pricing regime.
“The matter has been reviewed in light of representations received from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air, highlighting operational and commercial implications of the above provision, including its potential impact on fare structures and consistency with the prevailing deregulated tariff regime,” the letter said.
“In view of the above, and pending a comprehensive examination of the issue, it has been decided that the provision relating to offering at least 60% of seats free of charge shall be kept in abeyance till further orders,” the ministry said in the letter.
As per the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) website, its members include IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet.
An email sent to MoCA, DGCA, Akasa Air and Federation of Indian Airlines did not elicit a response till press time
However, the ministry asked the DGCA to continue enforcing other passenger facilitation measures outlined in the earlier directive. These include greater transparency in seat allocation, ensuring co-seating of passengers on the same passenger name record (PNR), and clearer disclosure of applicable charges.
The regulator has also been asked to ensure smoother policies regarding the carriage of musical instruments, sports equipment and pets on flights.
The aviation industry is grappling with a double blow of rising fuel costs and the earlier hit to ancillary revenues following the implementation of free seat selection norms, Mint reported on 1 April. This temporary withdrawal of these curbs is likely to offer some relief, helping airlines partially offset the pressure from escalating fuel expenses.
India follows a deregulated airfare regime, allowing airlines to set ticket prices based on demand, operating costs, and competitive dynamics. However, the Centre intervened in December by imposing fare caps after IndiGo faced a major operational meltdown that triggered nationwide flight cancellations and pushed fares to more than double. The government rolled back these curbs last month.
About the Authors
Dipali Banka is a Mumbai-based journalist who treats corporate reporting less like a beat and more like a puzzle to be solved. This invariably means she has to read through annual reports and speak with leaders and analysts. She tracks policies, deals, and the pulse of industries spanning metals, mining, paints, and cement, alongside aviation. She started out as an intern at The Statesman and then completed her postgraduate diploma in journalism from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, in 2025. Relentlessly curious at heart, Dipali is driven by the simple urge to understand how things work and who they impact. Armed with an enduring fascination for steel and aeroplanes, she moves through the churn of daily news with focus, turning complexity into clarity without losing the story. She is particularly committed to shaping numbers into objective narratives, having little appetite for vagueness that gets in her way.<br><br>Outside the newsroom, Dipali is an unapologetically loud presence who values long conversations and longer walks to unwind. She devours books of all kinds and can often be found indulging in the lyrical sway of contemporary ghazals. She ardently believes that her relationship with her bylines is more sacred than it would ever be with anyone across the human race.
Abhishek Law has spent 18 years in journalism, which in news industry terms means he has survived several newsroom restructurings, countless “urgent” press releases, and more cups of tea than he can reasonably count. Based in New Delhi, he covers aviation for Mint, a sector where aircraft, oil prices, geopolitics and airline CEOs regularly conspire to make his life interesting.<br><br>Most of his time gets occupied by translating airline jargon like ASKs, yields, load factors and fleet strategies into language that doesn’t require a pilot’s licence. His motto is simple: if readers need a glossary, he hasn’t done his job properly.<br><br>On most days, the quadragenarian is tracking airline strategies, policy changes and the occasional mid-air disruption that suddenly become a stock market story. When planes are behaving themselves (which is not very often nowadays), he strays into other corporate beats like steel, trying to figure out what’s really happening.<br><br>He loves to talk, especially ask—that one more question which people are uncomfortable with, and saving contacts in his phone as a "Source who may or may not pick up calls”. <br><br>But, on a serious note, the goal remains simple: cut through jargon, find that additional detail, and turn complicated business stories into something one can actually enjoy reading.
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