Flight Tickets Booking Rules: If you’ve been bothered by the extra charges levied for seat selection when booking flight tickets, there’s some good news for you. Starting April 20, 2026, the landscape of air travel is about to change.
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Flight Tickets Booking Rules: There’s some big news for air travelers. You no longer have to pay extra every time you choose a seat on a flight. Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a new rule requiring airlines to make at least 60% of their seats available free of charge starting April 20th. According to the new rule, 60% of the seats on every flight will be available for passengers to choose from without any extra charge. Previously, this feature was available only on about 20% of the seats, while the remaining seats required an extra fee ranging from ₹200 to ₹2,000.
Transparency in Seat Allotment Necessary
The DGCA has clearly instructed airlines that the seat allotment process should be completely transparent. Passengers should be able to clearly see which seats are free and which are charged during booking. This will provide better and fairer options for passengers.
Traveling with family will be easier
The new rule also states that passengers traveling on the same PNR should be assigned adjacent seats whenever possible. This will reduce the hassle of finding separate seats when traveling with family or friends.
Airlines expressed objection
Although some airlines protested this decision last week, companies like IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet said it would impact their earnings and force them to increase fares.
What benefits will passengers receive?
This decision will directly benefit millions of passengers daily. More than 500,000 people travel by air in India every day. Therefore, eliminating the additional cost of seat selection could make travel cheaper than before.
