There is news of great relief for the passengers traveling by air in India. The Civil Aviation Ministry has directed all airlines to make at least 60 percent seats available in every flight without any extra charges. Its objective is to provide fair and affordable seat selection facility to the passengers.
According to the press release issued by the ministry, till now only limited seats were given free of cost, while for the remaining seats, additional fees were charged from the passengers. After the implementation of the new instructions, most passengers will get the option to choose their seat without any extra cost.
Food at affordable rates and free books
The government has also started several other initiatives to enhance passenger convenience. These include providing food at affordable rates through UDAN Yatri Café, free reading of books under Flybrary and provision of free Wi-Fi at airports across the country.
Instructions to seat people traveling on the same PNR together
The government has also clarified that if passengers have booked tickets under the same PNR (Passenger Name Record), they will be seated together. The Ministry has said that giving adjacent seats to such passengers should be a priority, so that the family or group does not face the problem of sitting separately.
New rules also apply for airlines
The government has issued some more important instructions to increase the convenience and transparency of passengers-
- Clear and passenger-friendly rules should be made for carrying sports equipment and musical instruments.
- The pet policy should be public and clear.
- Passenger rights should be strictly enforced in case of flight delays, cancellations or denial of boarding.
- Passenger rights should be clearly displayed on the airline’s website, mobile app and airport counters.
- Passengers should also be given information about their rights in regional languages.
The government says that these steps will make air travel more transparent, convenient and passenger friendly.