Cheap Flight Tickets Soon? DGCA Issues Fresh Guidelines, Check Details Here

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised the Air Transport Circular titled, ‘unbundle of services and fees by scheduled airlines’. Aviation watchdog said that such unbundled services are provided on an “opt-in” basis by airlines and are not mandatory.

As per the norms, some services like zero baggage, preferential seating, meals/ snack/ drink charges and charges for carriage of musical instruments are permitted. However, it clarified that the unbundled services must be provided on an “opt-in” basis and not on “opt out” basis.

Opt-out: In the context of airfares, opting out typically means that you are automatically included in certain additional services or charges unless you actively choose to decline them. For example, when booking a flight, you might be automatically enrolled in travel insurance or seat selection unless you specifically deselect those options during the booking process.

Opt-in: Opting in, on the other hand, means that you have to actively choose to include certain additional services or features in your booking. For instance, if you want to purchase travel insurance or select specific seats, you would need to explicitly choose these options during the booking process.

“The airfares so established by the airlines also include charges for some of the services rendered by them. On the basis of various feedback received, it is felt that many times these services provided by the airlines may not be required by the passengers while travelling,” DGCA said in a recent statement.

It added that because unbundling of services and charges thereto has the potential to make basic fare more affordable and provide consumers an option of paying for the services which he/she wish to avail, it has been decided by the government to allow the following services to be unbundled and charged separately on an opt-in basis:

1. Preferential seating

2. Meal/snack/drink charges (except drinking water)

3. Charges for using airline lounges

4. Check-in baggage charges: As part of airline baggage policy, scheduled airlines will be allowed to offer free baggage allowance as well as “Zero baggage/no check-in baggage fares”.

This will be subject to the condition that the passenger booking the ticket under such fare scheme is made aware of the charges that shall be applicable if the passenger turns up with the baggage for check-in at the airline counter.

These applicable charges shall be reasonable; prominently displayed to the passenger at the time of booking of the ticket and also to be printed on the ticket.”

5. Sports equipment charges

6. Musical instrument carriage

7. Fee for special declaration of valuable baggage (allow for a higher unit on carrier liability)

DGCA added that while safety, schedule integrity and reliability of operations are integral components of air travel that cannot be compromised, the unbundling of the above services and fees by airlines is subject to the following guiding principles:

• Services permitted for unbundling shall be distinct with a clear description and without any ambiguity.
• Customer should have clear information of these services and their charges so that he/she opt in only for the services they would like to avail thereby reducing potential confusion and chances of selecting the services he/she would not like to avail/purchase at the time of booking.
• The unbundled services must be provided on an “opt-in” basis and not on “opt-out” basis.
• Airlines may offer a special package/allowance for carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments for the international/national level players and artists respectively representing India.
• Charges for the unbundled services shall be a fixed amount and shall not vary with the base fare for a particular sector/flight.
• Changes, if any, should be announced at least 30 days in advance by the airlines.
• Airlines shall display the unbundled services and charges thereto on their respective website in a transparent and conspicuous manner.
• Airlines shall also display on their respective website in a transparent and conspicuous manner that the booking/reservation can be made without opting/ availing the unbundled services
• It shall be the responsibility of the airlines that their travel portals/travel agents display the unbundled service and charges thereto in a similar manner as displayed by the airlines on their website.
• Airlines shall also ensure that their travel portals/travel agents charge the consumer for only those services he/she would require.
• Airlines shall not discriminate passengers with disability and/or reduced mobility with regard to provision of wheel chair/other assistive devices.
• In case of revision of charges/fee for such services by the airlines, the difference, if any, shall not be charged from the consumer who has already paid for.
• In case of failure to provide any service already paid for by the consumer, it shall be the sole responsibility of the airline to refund the same.
• Airlines shall ensure that while pre-assigning emergency row seats, all regulatory provisions are strictly adhered to i.e. to ensure the appropriateness of persons occupying those seats.

Seats for children of up to 12 years age

DGCA has also asked airlines to ensure that children up to the age of 12 years are allocated seats with at least one of their parents or guardians on a flight.

The directive comes against the backdrop of instances of children below the age of 12 years are not seated along with their parents or guardians during flights.

“Airlines shall ensure that children up to the age of 12 years are allocated seats with at least one of their parents/guardians, who are travelling on the same PNR and a record of the same shall be maintained,” the DGCA said.

“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,” the statement said.