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.”