Govt directive to offer 60 pc flight seats without additional charges put on hold
Mumbai (PTI): The government on Thursday "put in abeyance" its earlier direction to airlines to offer at least 60 per cent of seats in a flight without levying any additional charge from April 20, according to sources.
On March 18, the civil aviation ministry announced that directions have been issued to the DGCA to direct airlines to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight free of any additional charges to ensure fair access for passengers.
"The matter has been reviewed in light of representations received from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air, highlighting operational and commercial implications of the above provision, including its potential impact on fare structures and consistency with the prevailing deregulated tariff regime.
"In view of the above, and pending a comprehensive examination of the issue, it has been decided that the provision relating to offering at least 60 per cent of seats free of charge shall be kept in abeyance till further orders," Civil Aviation Ministry said in a communication to the DGCA.
At present, 20 per cent of the seats can be booked free of charge, while the rest are paid.
Generally, airlines charge Rs 200 to Rs 2,100 for choosing seats, depending on various factors, including front rows and extra leg room, a travel industry executive had said last week.
The move to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight came against the backdrop of rising complaints that airlines were levying high charges for various services, including seat selection.
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AAP accuses Chadha of indulging in 'soft PR', dodging key issues in Parliament
New Delhi (PTI): The AAP on Friday hit back at party MP Raghav Chadha, accusing him of shying away from raising issues against the Centre in Parliament and instead engaging in "soft PR".
Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that Chadha failed to toe the party's line on several matters in Parliament and did not join opposition walkouts on key issues.
"We all are soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal, the Centre doesn't care about soft PR or talking about samosas at airport canteens when bigger issues are at stake," Bharadwaj said in a video posted on X.
"Whenever the Opposition staged a walkout in Parliament, you (Chadha) did not participate. You did not raise issues concerning Punjab, from where you are elected, and you hid in a foreign country when former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested," he added.
AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda also criticised Chadha, questioning whether someone who "fears" Prime Minister Narendra Modi can fight for the country.
"In West Bengal, the right to vote is being snatched away. When a proposal against the CEC came up in the House, you (Chadha) refused to sign it," Dhanda said on X.
"In Parliament, we get limited time to speak, and it can be used either to fight for the nation or discuss trivial matters like cheaper samosas at airport canteens," Dhanda said, adding that Chadha has been hesitant to speak on "real issues" for the last few years.
The remarks came after Chadha earlier in the day said he was "silenced, not defeated", a day after being removed as the AAP's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha.
