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.
DGCA’s new rule requires airlines to offer 60 per cent seats without fees.
The Civil Aviation Ministry on Wednesday put on hold its earlier directive that required airlines to offer at least 60% of seats free of charge on every flight, following concerns raised by airlines over its operational and commercial impact.
As per the letter, the directive would remain suspended until further orders while the government conducts a detailed examination of the issue.
In a letter issued to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) dated April 2, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said that the decision came after representations from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air flagged potential operational and commercial challenges, including the impact on fare structures and the country’s deregulated tariff regime.
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 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 letter added.
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.
As per the earlier directive, the airlines were required to offer at least 60 per cent of seats on every flight without any additional charge starting April 20.
Currently, airlines allow only around 20 per cent of seats to be selected without an additional charge, with the rest falling under paid categories. Seat selection fees can range from Rs 200 to Rs 2,100, depending on factors such as location, extra legroom, or proximity to the front of the aircraft.
April 02, 2026, 22:48 IST
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