DGCA Directs Airlines to Ensure Kids Below Age of 12 Years Are Seated With Parents

A few days ago, a controversy sparked on social media when a user claimed that his two children were allotted separate seats by IndiGo and they had to sit away from their parents. This incident caught the eyesight of the Indian aviation regulator and as expected, rules have been amended now.

DGCA Directs Airlines to Ensure Kids Safety

In India, airlines charge an additional amount if you want to choose a particular seat. If you are traveling with a child, seat selection is crucial. If you don’t, you might end up sitting away from your child. Many people on social media flagged this concern, saying it could affect children’s safety.

This concern came to the light of the Indian aviation safety regulator – the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). After due diligence, the regulator has amended the laws. It has directed all the scheduled airline operators to make sure that children under the age of 12 are seated with at least one of their guardians if traveling on the same PNR. Airlines will not charge any seat selection fee for this allotment. DGCA also directed airlines to maintain a record of these seat allocations.

To include this rule, DGCA has amended the Air Transport Circular (ATC)-01 of 2021, which is termed as ‘Unbundle of services and fees by scheduled airlines’. This circular allows airlines to enhance their ancillary revenue by charging extra for services like zero baggage, seat selection, meals, snacks, beverages, and transportation of musical instruments.

Passengers can avoid seat selection charges and can avail of auto seat allocation. This concern is not just limited to India. It is a major issue across the airlines in the world. Passengers traveling in groups unable to sit together because of non-payment of seat selection charges is one of the many reasons, which frustrates passengers.

Air India Prioritizes Kids & Women’s Safety

National flag carrier Air India has allowed solo female passengers onboard its flights to select alternative seats. The practice, which is normally followed in buses has reached air travel as well. In a directive issued in October 2023, the airline told its crew members that if a woman is traveling alone, she should be provided a window or aisle seat at their own convenience.

Many times, because of auto-seat selection, a woman passenger may find herself sitting between two male passengers. This situation may be uncomfortable for some ladies. In order to remove this discomfort, Air India has adopted a gender-sensitive seat assignment practice. Other than lady passengers, the same applies to kids and mothers with infants.

The airline said that every flight has 10% solo women passengers. An airline employee said that this directive may not be an effective one. Implementing such a policy can be complex. Other than seat swapping with the passenger’s consent, the airline has limited control over pre-seat selection by passengers. Despite doing everything, there is still a high chance that a woman passenger may find herself in the middle seat.

What do you think about such policy changes? Discuss in the comment section.

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