New Delhi: In a move that will bring much needed respite to cash strapped airlines that have been struggling with maintaining low costs and meeting mounting debt, the DGCA has given approval for flights to pre-book all seats.
All aisle and window seats on IndiGo flights will cost more, if pre-booked.
Booking a seat in the front or emergency rows will cost Rs 600 and booking the window and aisle seats in rows 2 to 11 will cost Rs 300.
IndiGo now offers window and aisle seats of rows 14 to 29 (12 and 13 are emergency exit rows that have extra legroom) for Rs 200.
Jet Airways and IndiGo have also announced a steep hike in ticket cancellation charges.
While IndiGo earlier had a flat fee of Rs 1,500 for cancellations made up to two hours prior to departure time, it now has four slabs. People cancelling two to 48 hours before departure will have to pay Rs 2,250. The fee will be Rs 2,000; 1,500 and 1,250 for cancellations made 48 hours, seven to 30 days and more than 30 days before departure time, respectively.
IndiGo used to charge Rs 2,000 for international tickets cancelled up to four hours before departure time. Now, it will charge Rs 2,500 for tickets cancelled from a week to four hours before departure time. Tickets cancelled more than a week before flight departure will remain Rs 2,000.
Jet Airways’ cancellation charge for domestic flights used to be in the range of Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 earlier. Now the slab has been widened to Rs 1,000 and Rs 4,000.
Meanwhile, SpiceJet from Tuesday started new ancillary services where passengers can pay an extra amount of Rs 500 to Rs 35 for getting services like assistance from check-in to boarding and likewise on arrival; priority check-in at special counters; getting checked-in bags at priority and insurance for baggage loss, flight delays and cancellations beyond the usual compensation amounts.