DGCA mandates airlines to seat children under 12 with parents on flights

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a directive to all airlines, mandating that children up to the age of 12 be seated with at least one of their parents or guardians during flights. This directive comes in response to instances where children below the age of 12 were not seated with their accompanying adults.

According to the press note released by the DGCA, airlines are now required to allocate seats to children under 12 with at least one parent or guardian who is traveling on the same Passenger Name Record (PNR). The aviation regulator emphasized the importance of maintaining a record of this allocation.

This decision follows the revision of the air transport circular titled 'unbundle of services and fees by scheduled airlines'. Under this circular, certain services such as zero baggage, preferential seating, meals/snacks/drinks, and charges for the carriage of musical instruments are permitted. However, it's worth noting that these unbundled services are optional and provided on an "opt-in" basis by airlines, rather than being mandatory.

Furthermore, the DGCA highlighted the provision for auto seat assignment for passengers who have not selected any seat during web check-in before the scheduled departure.

India's aviation sector has been experiencing rapid growth, with domestic air traffic witnessing a significant increase. As one of the world's fastest-growing civil aviation markets, the DGCA's directive aims to ensure the safety and comfort of young passengers during their air travel experiences.