Air India To Charge “Family Fee” For Middle Seat On Their Flights!

Want to sit with your family or friends on the flight together? Then, in that case, be ready to pay more as Air India will now be charging more for seat selection, according to a circular issued by Air India which tells you about the seat-selection fee on various routes.

Previously, the airline only charged for front-row seats on long-haul flights. With the new seat selection fee, you will have to pay an extra for the selecting a middle, window and aisle seat on domestic and international flights.

This extra charge for the middle seat is known as ‘family fee’ in some countries. In this, you have to pay extra for the seat, to make sure that your kid sit does not sit with a stranger.

According to the new rules –

• You will have to pay Rs 100 for middle seats on domestic flights
• If you choose a window or an aisle seat, you have to pay Rs 200
• The seat-selection fee is Rs 200 on most international routes, except if you are travelling to Kathmandu, where it is kept at Rs 100
• You will have to pay anywhere between Rs 800 and Rs 1,500, if you want to sit in the emergency exit row, depending on the route.
• Choosing the window/aisle seat can set you back by anywhere from Rs 240 to Rs 1,500 for international flights.

Air India is, however, asking passengers to pay a whopping Rs 3,282 extra for the emergency exit row seats on flights flying on the US-India route. They will charge Rs 985 extra for the window and aisle seats. Thankfully, the middle is more wallet-friendly and costs Rs 197.

Seat fees also varies depending on the currency used at the of the airport of origin, on flights that fly from other countries to India. The extra fee will be charged when a passenger has to choose their seat during online booking or web check-in.

So, if you are going to book your seat in advance to enjoy extra-leg space, be mesmerised by the view from the window or sit with your family, you will have to pay a few extra bucks and get your favourite seat on an Air India flight.