🚨 BREAKING: DGCA Mandates 60% Free Seats: No More Paid Seat Selection (March 2026) ✈️

By Sahil Gulati | March 18, 2026 | DealUni.com

Booking flights in India has long come with a frustrating catch: paying extra just to sit with your family or avoid a dreaded middle seat. What should be a basic expectation—especially when traveling with children—has often been turned into a paid add-on by airlines.

That changes today.

In a major passenger-friendly move, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued fresh directives on March 18, 2026, to curb “junk fees” — especially excessive seat selection charges — and boost transparency and fairness for flyers.

Here’s the full DealUni breakdown of what’s changed, why it matters, and how to make the most of it.

💺 The Headline Rule: Minimum 60% of Seats Must Be Free of Charge As per the MoCA’s directive, airlines must now allocate at least 60% of seats on every flight free of charge for seat selection. This means:

• No mandatory payment just to get a standard seat assigned during booking or check-in.
• Greater transparency in how seats are allocated.
• Reduced pressure to pay extra upfront for basic seating.

However, airlines can still charge for premium categories like:

• Extra legroom seats
• Front-row or priority/exit-row seats
• Preferred window/aisle options in better locations

In practice, the “free 60%” will likely include standard or less desirable seats (middle seats, rear rows, etc.). This directly targets the common complaint where almost all good seats were hidden behind paywalls.

👨‍👩‍👧 Families & Groups on the Same PNR Must Be Seated Together One of the biggest wins for travelers: Passengers booked under the same Passenger Name Record (PNR) must now be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats.

This rule tackles the long-standing tactic of splitting families or groups across rows unless they paid for seat selection. It expands protections beyond just children.

Important Note: This applies only if all passengers are on the same PNR. Separate bookings (even if traveling together) don’t qualify for automatic together-seating.

👶 Children Under 12 Must Sit With Parents — No Extra Fee This reinforces and builds on the existing April 2024 DGCA rule (still fully in force): Children up to 12 years old must be seated with at least one parent or guardian on the same booking — without any additional seat selection charges.

The new directive strengthens family protections overall, making air travel less stressful and costly for parents.

🧳 Clearer Rules & Transparency for Add-Ons The DGCA has directed airlines to clean up policies around extra services, including:

• Sports equipment
• Musical instruments
• Pets (carriage rules and charges)

Airlines must now clearly display these policies and associated fees upfront, so passengers know the total cost before booking — no more hidden surprises.

📢 Passenger Rights Must Be Prominently Displayed. Another key push for transparency: Airlines are required to prominently show passenger rights information related to:

• Flight delays
• Cancellations
• Denied boarding

This must be available on:

• Websites and mobile apps
• Booking platforms
• Airport counters
• In regional languages (for wider accessibility)

This aligns with the broader Passenger Rights framework and helps flyers know their entitlements quickly.

🛑 The DealUni Reality Check This is one of the most significant passenger-friendly reforms in recent Indian aviation history — but airlines won’t give up revenue without adapting. Watch for:

• More seats reclassified as “premium” or “extra legroom” to charge for.
• Slight increases in base fares to offset lost seat fees.
• Free seats released later in the process (e.g., during online check-in or closer to departure).
• Continued nudging toward paid upgrades via app prompts.

In short: Junk fees may not vanish — they could just evolve. Stay alert and compare options.

💡 DealUni Pro Tips to Maximize These New Rules To save money and hassle under the new DGCA directives: ✔ Book your entire family/group under one single PNR to qualify for together-seating. ✔ Check in as early as possible (online/app) to secure better free seats. ✔ Don’t assume all desirable seats will be free — premium ones can still cost extra. ✔ Compare airlines — implementation and seat maps may vary (e.g., IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa). ✔ Reference the March 18, 2026 MoCA/DGCA directive when raising complaints. ✔ Keep an eye on related 2026 changes, like the 48-hour free cancellation/amendment “look-in” window (effective March 26, 2026) for eligible bookings.

🧠 Final Verdict This DGCA/MoCA directive is a huge step forward for Indian flyers:

• Minimum 60% seats free of charge
• Families/groups on same PNR seated together (preferably adjacent)
• Children under 12 with parents — no extra fee
• Greater transparency on add-ons, pets, and passenger rights

But the real impact depends on how airlines implement it. DealUni will keep tracking carrier responses, any updates from DGCA, and share the best ways to stay ahead.

Have you booked flights recently and faced seat fees? Drop your experience in the comments — and stay tuned for more deal tips! ✈️

Safe travels and happy saving!

(Sources: Ministry of Civil Aviation press release, DGCA directives dated March 18, 2026; reports from Times of India, Business Today, NDTV, Hindustan Times, Business Standard, and others.)