Children below 12 yrs of age be seated by their parent in aircraft: DGCA

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given direction to airlines to ensure that children under the age of 12 are seated alongside at least one of their parents. This directive comes as part of the revision of the Air Transport Circular (ATC)-01 of 2024, titled “Unbundle of Services and fees by scheduled airlines.”

Certain services, including free luggage, priority seats, charges for meals, snacks, and drinks, and fees for the carriage of musical instruments, were allowed under this updated circular. Airlines offered these services on a “opt-in” basis; they were not required. Furthermore, in case a passenger did not select a seat at web check-in before to the scheduled departure, there was an option for auto seat assignment.

The current Air Transport Circular 01 of 2021 has been modified in response to multiple incidents that the DGCA was made aware of, in which minors under the age of twelve were not seated with their parent or legal guardian. A new clause in the modification states that airlines “must ensure that children up to the age of 12 are assigned seats with at least one of their parents/guardians, who are travelling on the same Passenger Name Record (PNR), and a record of this arrangement must be maintained” in order to stop similar incidents from happening in the future.