Desk Correspondent , New Delhi - Every Indian air traveller has felt it, the creeping realisation, midway through booking a flight, that the price displayed on the homepage bears little resemblance to what you'll actually pay by the time you've chosen a seat. Seat selection alone can add anywhere between ₹200 and ₹2,100 to a ticket for the simple act of choosing where you sit on a plane you have already paid for. Beginning April 20, airlines in India will be required to offer at least 60 per cent of seats on every flight free of charge, following a directive issued by aviation regulator DGCA. The move is aimed at ensuring fair access for passengers and improving transparency in seat allocation practices. The airlines are not happy about it.

From April 20, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) revised circular mandates airlines offer at least 60% of seats free (up from 20%), ensure family proximity seating for same PNR passengers, display all free seat counts and conditions transparently during booking, and clearly list ancillary charges for sports equipment/musical instruments including damage liabilities targeting current ₹200-2,100 seat fees that frustrate 5 lakh daily flyers. IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet via FIA fiercely oppose, warning of base fare hikes to offset revenue losses amid West Asia driven jet fuel spikes, no prior consultation, and regulatory overreach setting dangerous precedents (March 18 Ministry announcement, March 20 circular, March 29 confirmation), aligning India with US "junk fee" crackdowns and EU family rules despite airlines' compliance prep and potential legal escalation.

The DGCA's April 20 directive is a genuine step toward a more transparent, passenger friendly Indian aviation sector. It addresses a widely felt grievance and signals that India's aviation regulator will act in the consumer interest against major industry resistance. The true test will be whether the total cost of flying in India across base fare and all ancillary charges remains fair for the millions who have only recently been able to access air travel. Regulators, passengers, and airlines should all be watching that number carefully.