Back In 2004, Air Deccan used to assign seats free of charge and everyone used to hangout at the boarding gate to grab the best possible seat on the airplane.
But, airlines today charge us for everything, whether it’s checking a bag, choosing a seat or ordering a meal.
In 2015, Directorate General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officially allowed airlines in India to charge money from passengers to select their seats and airline operators formed their own rules regarding this.
So, to make things simpler for you, we are going to tell you about the different fees that airlines in India charge you for selecting your preferred airplane seat.
1.Vistara
In a bid to make their airline more customer friendly & stand out from others in the industry, Vistara only charges for emergency exit row seats.
You have to pay anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 1000 for these seats, depending on the length of your flight.
All the other seats are free to be assigned once you’ve booked your tickets, so make sure you check-in online to grab your favourite place on the airplane.
*If you’re a ‘Club Vistara’ member or a ‘Singapore Airlines Kris Flyer’, you wont have to pay for your exit row seat.
Read More About “Vistara’s Seat Selection Policy”
2.Jet Airways
On Jet Airways, you can select a seat from 331 days to 12 hours before your flight’s scheduled departure time.
Seat selection charges for Centre, Aisle or window seat can vary between Rs 99 to Rs 950, depending on the route you fly on. They charge Rs 899 for Bulkhead or Front row seats and Rs 699 for seats in the exit row.
Most of the seats in the back of the economy cabin are free of cost for pre-selection.
*JetPrivilege “Platinum” members can select any seat free of cost in any class, however, those with a “Gold” membership have to pay for seat selection in certain fare classes. Make sure to add your loyalty number before booking a flight.
Read More About “Jet Airway’s Seat Selection Policy”
3.Air India
The state owned airline, recently decided to ask for payments for seat selection on domestic flights.
For front and exit row seats you have to shell out Rs 500. For window and aisle seats, they charge you Rs 200.
You can pay and select your seats in the front and middle section of the airplane until 4 hours prior to departure.
For pre selecting your seat with Air India, you can’t just pull up the seat map, select a seat and pay for it. Once you pay for the selected seat, and if the seat is assigned to you, you’ll find it out 24 hours before the flight.
For instance, if you’ve paid for an aisle seat, you can get it in Row 5 or Row 11.
*To select a seat for free with Air India, you’ll have to go old school. Arrive early at the airport and ask nicely for you preferred seat ,if you haven’t checked in online.
Read More About “Air India’s Seat Selection Policy”
4.SpiceJet
SpiceJet has allotted 5 rows in their airplanes ( 3 in the front and 2 in the middle) with seats which have extra legroom.
They charge up to Rs 1000 for these seats which are labelled ‘SpiceMax’. The airline provides a host of services to those who select SpiceMax, including an inflight meal, priority check-in and baggage handling.
For other seats on the airplane, you have to pay anywhere between Rs 99 to Rs 300.The only way to get a free seat is if you arrive at the airport early and get one.
*If you’re a “SpiceClub” member, you can get into a ‘Members Only’ que, which is mostly empty and have a better chance of getting a better service and airplane seat.
Read More About “SpiceJet’s Seat Selection Policy”
5.Air Asia India
Air Asia offers you the option of a “Hot Seat”. These have extra legroom or are situated in the emergency exit rows.
For these seats you have to pay anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 660 and are available only for their flights on domestic routes.
Air Asia in general charges you based on the row you choose to sit in, rather than the type of seat. It will cost you in the range of Rs 99 to Rs 250.
*If you choose your seat while booking your tickets, you get a 10% discount on that seat. For instance, the first row Hot Seat comes at Rs 600 if you select your seat when you book your ticket.
Read More About “Air Asia’s Seat Selection Policy”
6.GoAir
This airline sells the first 2 rows as Business class, but row 3 onwards you have to pay for selecting your preferred seat.
Emergency exit row seats will cost you Rs 600 if you book online & Rs 800 if you book it at the airport.
For others, you’ll have to pay between Rs 99 to Rs 300 depending on the type of seat.
*The last rows of the airplane are assigned free of cost, however there maybe a window missing on their window seats due to the airplane’s design structure.
Read More About “GoAir’s Seat Selection Policy”
7.IndiGo
India’s leading airline, IndiGo, has a comparatively straightforward process to allot you seats on their website.
On routes where their A320 aircrafts operate, you have to pay Rs 600 (Online Booking) or Rs 800 (At The Airport) for their “XL” seats, which have extra legroom. For sitting in the middle or front section of the airplane, you’ll have to shell out anywhere between Rs 200 to Rs 300
Seats at the back of the airplane are free for selection but usually run out quickly.
On their ATR flights, which they use for regional transportation, you have to pay Rs 100 to Rs 200. These aircrafts have 4 “XL” seats for which you’ll have to pay Rs 300.
The best way to get a free seat is to let the airline automatically check you in when the ticket is issued.
*You can get a free upgrade to XL seats if you arrive early and politely ask for it. The only catch is that XL seats fill up really fast and are usually unavailable, but you can give it a try.
Read More About “IndiGo’s Seat Selection Policy”
If you want to know more about your airline’s seat selection policy, look no further. Download The AirWhizz app to get all the details regarding different airline policies along with airport information and real-time flight updates on the move.
