India flights: No charge for web check-in in scheduled domestic airlines

The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday in Rajya Sabha said that scheduled domestic airlines are not charging any fee for completing web check-in formalities.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation General VK Singh (retired), in a written reply to a question about whether airline companies in the country are assigning most of the seats to the passengers on a payment basis in the name of online check-in before travelling.

Singh replied that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued Air Transport Circular (ATC)-01 of 2021 titled, "Unbundle of Services and fees by scheduled airlines" as per which, some services like preferential seating have been allowed to be unbundled and charged separately from the travellers. Such unbundled services are provided on an "opt-in" basis by airlines and are not mandatory in nature.

The question was raised by S Selvaganabathy, BJP MP from Pudducherry. He further asked whether any guidelines have been issued by Government to the airline companies to regulate the sale and allotment of seats.

Singh replied that there is also a provision for auto seat assignment to the passengers who have not selected any seat for web check-in before scheduled departure. Scheduled domestic airlines are not charging any fee for completing web check-in formalities.

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Earlier, DGCA had made it clear that airlines charging for preferred seats is as per the unbundling of fare and is left to airlines and we have no role in that.