The Indian civil aviation ministry has suspended a directive requiring airlines to allocate at least 60% of seats on any flight without a seat-selection fee, just weeks after announcing the rule.
The ministry cited representations from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air, which expressed concerns over the rule's potential impact on fare structures and its consistency with India's deregulated tariff regime.
The original March 17 circular had directed scheduled airlines to allocate a minimum 60% of seats without a selection charge on every flight, and to seat passengers sharing a booking together, preferably in adjacent seats.
The ministry has asked the DGCA to continue enforcing rules on co-seating of passengers on the same PNR, transparent policies for carriage of sports equipment, musical instruments and pets, and clear disclosure of applicable charges.
