Children below 12 yrs must get to sit with at least one parent: DGCA to airlines

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to ensure that all children below 12 years of age be allotted seats next to at least one of the parents in case of the same PNR.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the aviation regulator said, “Airlines shall ensure that children up to the age of 12 years is allocated seats with atleast one of their parents/guardians, who are travelling on the same PNR and a record of the same shall be maintained.”
This, the DGCA said, was done in view of the various instances that came to their notice wherein children below the age of 12 years were not seated along with their parent/guardian.
“The existing Air Transport Circular 01 of 2021 has been suitably modified to incorporate with a view to alleviate any such situation in future,” it said.
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The regulator also said that it has revised the Air Transport Circular (ATC)-01 of 2024 titled, “Unbundle of Services and fees by scheduled airlines” as per which, some services like zero baggage, preferential seating, meals/ Snack/ Drink charges, charges for carriage of musical instruments have been allowed.
It also clarified that the services are not mandatory.
“Such unbundled services are provided on “opt-in” basis by airlines and are not mandatory in nature. 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,” it said.
Headquartered in Delhi, DGCA’s role is to regulate air transport services, enforce civil air regulations, air safety, and airworthiness standards.
This is the second order received by the airline within a month.
First was issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) when the airlines in the first week of this month received an order to de board the passengers and take them back directly to the boarding area instead of making them go through the entire check-in procedure again.
The decision was taken after several complaints and feedback from passengers were received during the fog season in December.