Mumbai, April 2 According to sources, the government on Thursday "put on hold" its earlier directive to airlines to offer at least 60 per cent of seats on a flight without charging any additional fees, effective from April 20.
On March 18, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that instructions had been issued to the DGCA to direct airlines to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight free of any additional charges, to ensure fair access for passengers.
"The matter has been reviewed in light of representations received from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air, highlighting the operational and commercial implications of the above provision, including its potential impact on fare structures and consistency with the prevailing deregulated tariff regime," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a communication to the DGCA.
"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 per cent of seats free of charge shall be kept in abeyance until further orders," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a communication to the DGCA.
Currently, 20 per cent of the seats can be booked free of charge, while the rest are paid for.
Generally, airlines charge between Rs 200 and Rs 2,100 for selecting seats, depending on various factors, including front rows and extra legroom, a travel industry executive had said last week.
The move to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight came against the backdrop of rising complaints that airlines were charging high fees for various services, including seat selection.