‘At least 60% seats should be offered without fee; DGCA tells airlines, passengers with same PNR should be seated together
New Delhi: Airlines will now have to offer at least 60% seats “in any flight” without any selection fee and passengers traveling on the same PNR – who are usually family members or traveling in a group – will have to be seated together, “preferably on adjacent seats”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued these passenger-friendly instructions on Wednesday to address one of the biggest grievances of air travelers. Did it.Now, airlines have been asked to provide “a minimum of 60% seats allotted free of charge in any flight to ensure fair access” and “passengers traveling on the same PNR should be seated together, preferably on adjacent seats.”How this is implemented remains to be seen as pre-booked seats sitting together may impact the availability of passengers traveling on the same PNR. The issue of people traveling in groups being made to sit separately for not paying extra for seat selection is troubling travelers not just in India but across the world. For example, America has been struggling with this problem for years.Then-US President Joe Biden said on February 5, 2023, on In April 2024, the DGCA had ordered that airlines must ensure that minor children are seated with at least one of their parents or guardians on flights without paying extra for seat selection charges when traveling on the same PNR (booking reference). Following several complaints from passengers traveling in groups that they were made to sit separately if they chose not to pay extra for seat selection – especially from their children – the DGCA had issued this direction to airlines two years ago: “Airlines shall ensure that children up to the age of 12 years are allotted seats accompanied by at least one of their parents/guardians, who are traveling on the same PNR and a record of the same shall be maintained.“Going a step further to protect consumer rights, the regulator has now directed that “carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments should be facilitated in a transparent and passenger-friendly manner, subject to applicable safety and operational rules. Airlines shall also bring in clear, transparent policies for carriage of pets.” The DGCA has called for “strict adherence to the passenger rights framework, especially in cases of delays, cancellations and denial of boarding; prominent display of passenger rights on airline websites, mobile applications, booking platforms and airport counters; and clear communication of passenger rights in regional languages to ensure wider reach and awareness.”In a statement issued on Wednesday, the aviation ministry said it is “committed to enhancing the passenger experience, ensuring transparency, minimizing complaints and maintaining the highest standards of safety in the aviation ecosystem.”
donald trumpWarning that Cuba would resist any form of external aggression, even as the country faced a worsening fuel and economic crisis.In a post on X, Diaz-Canel said, “Facing the worst-case scenario, Cuba has one guarantee: any external aggressor will face unwavering resistance.” His comments come amid repeated threats from Trump, including one made a day earlier when Trump told reporters he could “take Cuba any way” and claimed he could “do anything” with the country. “I believe I will have the honor of taking over Cuba,” Trump told reporters. When a reporter asked for clarification, he said, “Yes, one way or another, taking Cuba.” “Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, whether I take it – I think I can do whatever I want with it, if you want to know the truth.”He also said the United States is already in talks with Cuba and hinted at possible action following ongoing operations related to Iran.These statements are unusual in US-Cuba relations. No US president has publicly suggested taking control of the island since Fidel Castro came to power.At the same time, America has increased pressure on Cuba through economic measures. Since January, Washington has effectively blocked oil shipments to the country by warning other countries against supplying the fuel. A US Coast Guard ship also intercepted a tanker carrying crude oil in Cuba.The impact on Cuba has been severe. The country has not received major fuel shipments since early January. Due to this, fuel prices are increasing in the black market and there are frequent power cuts. Recently a 29-hour nationwide blackout was recorded, leaving large parts of the capital Havana without power.This crisis is affecting everyday life. Hospitals are delaying surgeries, medicines are running low and food shortages are increasing across the island.Facing increasing pressure, the Cuban government has opened talks with the United States and hinted at possible economic changes. Authorities have announced steps to allow Cubans living abroad to invest and do business in the country.Reports also suggest that the US wants a change in Cuban leadership. Meanwhile, Russia has said it is in close contact with Cuba and can support it if needed.
-Rajnath Singh Politics has faced a crisis of confidence in the past, he said on Tuesday and stressed that humility and credibility must always remain the cornerstone of public life.“Until recently there was a perception that politicians didn’t tell the truth or practice what they preach. If someone felt misled they would say, ‘Are you playing politics with me?’ The word ‘politics’ has lost its credibility,” the minister said. But there were also leaders who worked tirelessly to restore faith in politics.
Three Ukrainian war veterans – Petro Hraba, Taras Slivyak and Ivan Sukmanovsky were arrested by Immigration Bureau officials at Lucknow airport on 13 March and handed over to the NIA. He has been charged under UAPA.Investigators on Tuesday said the alleged network was led by US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, who was arrested at the Kolkata airport, while three other Ukrainians – Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maxim and Kaminsky Victor – were recently caught in Delhi.Van Dyke, who describes himself online as the founder of a security consulting firm and a filmmaker, has claimed to be involved in conflicts in Libya and Ukraine and covert operations in Venezuela.All seven accused are in NIA custody as investigators expand their probe into alleged cross-border links, supply chains and potential threats to Indian security.On Monday, Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma at New Delhi’s Patiala House Court sent the group to 11-day police custody, underscoring that the charges have a direct bearing on “national security and India’s interests”. The court held that custodial interrogation is necessary at this stage of the investigation.According to investigation details, the Lucknow detainees flew to India from the UAE on tourist visas in December 2025, traveled to Mizoram without mandatory restricted area permits and allegedly entered Myanmar, where they established contacts with armed groups hostile to India.Investigators said the suspects traveled by bus from Guwahati to Lucknow and stayed at a hotel near the airport a few hours before their scheduled departure. The hotel owner said all three claimed to be tourists, with one calling himself a chef, but avoided questions about prior activities.“Timely submission of Form C by the hotel played an important role in tracking them,” said a source.Investigators allege the group transported drones from Europe to India and then to Myanmar, where they trained ethnic rebels involved in the conflict with the junta.Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had earlier told the state assembly that intelligence inputs suggested the presence of Ukrainian war veterans training insurgent organizations in Chin.With inputs from Delhi