The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued directions through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to strengthen passenger convenience, transparency and uniformity of practices across airlines. The directions include allocation of a minimum of 60 per cent of seats on any flight free of charge to ensure fair access. It also directed that passengers travelling on the same PNR must be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats.

 

The Ministry said that carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments should be facilitated in a transparent and passenger-friendly manner. It added that the Airlines shall also bring out clear, transparent policies for the carriage of pets. 

 

Meanwhile, strict adherence to the passenger rights framework, particularly in cases of delays, cancellations and denied boarding, has also been directed by the government. The Ministry also called for prominent display of passenger rights across airline websites, mobile applications, booking platforms, and airport counters. It further directed the airlines to ensure clear communication of passenger entitlements in regional languages for wider accessibility and awareness.