India has emerged as the third-largest domestic aviation market globally, with airports handling over five lakh passengers daily. The growth has been supported in part by the UDAN scheme, which aims to improve regional connectivity and accessibility.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, passenger facilitation remains a priority, with initiatives such as UDAN Yatri Cafés, Flybrary services, and free Wi-Fi introduced at airports to enhance the travel experience.
The Ministry has also issued a set of directions through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to improve transparency and standardise practices across airlines.
These include allocating a minimum of 60 per cent of seats free of charge, seating passengers on the same PNR together where possible, and facilitating the carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments under defined guidelines. Airlines have also been asked to clearly outline their policies for carrying pets.
In addition, the directives call for adherence to passenger rights in cases of delays, cancellations, and denied boarding, along with the display of passenger rights across airline platforms and airport counters. Airlines have also been advised to communicate passenger entitlements in regional languages.
The Ministry stated that the measures are intended to improve passenger experience, enhance transparency, and reduce grievances across the aviation sector.
