India’s civil aviation sector has registered strong growth. India is today the third largest domestic aviation market globally. Airports handle over 500,000 passengers daily. The Indian government is ensuring passenger rights and accessibility amid aviation growth. Indian airlines have been allowing passengers to select most seats based on additional payment. Now, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed airlines to keep 60 percent of seats free. In other rights for airline passengers, new guidelines have been issued to improve passenger convenience, transparency, and consistency across airlines. For example, passengers booked under the same Passenger Name Record (PNR) can ask to be seated together, ideally in adjacent seats. New guidelines also emphasize the need to handle sports equipment and musical instruments in a transparent and passenger-friendly manner, in line with safety and operational norms. 

Airlines have further been directed to establish clear and transparent policies for traveling with pets.

The statement says that the ministry has called for strict compliance with the passenger rights framework, especially in instances of delays, cancellations, and denied boarding. Airlines must prominently display passenger rights across their websites, mobile apps, booking platforms, and airport counters and clearly communicate entitlements in regional languages to improve awareness and accessibility. The ministry has also introduced several traveler-friendly measures to improve ease of travel, including Udan Yatri Cafes offering affordable food and Flybrary providing free access to books and complimentary Wi-Fi services at airports.