Flying in India was once considered a luxury now, it’s become a game of hidden fees and frustrating add-ons. Indian passengers, already paying hefty amounts for tickets and taxes, are waking up to a shocking reality: even your seat comes at an extra cost!
Whether it’s a window view, an aisle escape, or even a dreaded middle seat, airlines are locking them all behind paywalls. Prices range from ₹200 to a staggering ₹1,500 and what’s worse? Most flyers discover this only after they’ve booked, at the final step or during check-in, with no warning in sight.
Welcome to the age of “unbundling” where airlines strip the basics from your ticket. Seat selection, meals, and even baggage are now à la carte, all under the excuse of cost-cutting. While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) allows charging for “preferred” seats, airlines have twisted this into charging for almost every seat onboard.
The reason? Profits. With fuel costs soaring and cutthroat competition, airlines are squeezing flyers to the last rupee. For budget carriers, these “optional extras” have become their cash cow.
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The Real Cost to Consumers: More Than Just Money
For consumers, this practice has created not just financial stress, but emotional and psychological strain. Families are being split across rows unless they shell out extra cash. Senior citizens and solo travelers face anxiety and inconvenience. Even budget travelers who choose low-cost carriers to save are shocked to find themselves paying significantly more than anticipated, simply to reserve a basic seat. The idea of choice is being distorted; passengers aren’t choosing to pay more they’re being forced to.
What was once a transparent process of booking a flight has now become a maze of hidden charges and last-minute costs. Trust, a key factor in brand loyalty, is being quietly eroded. Instead of enhancing the travel experience, airlines risk turning air travel into a transactional ordeal that leaves passengers feeling shortchanged.
Conclusion: When Will Flying Be Fair Again?
If a fully paid ticket no longer guarantees a seat what exactly are passengers paying for?
This isn’t just about a few hundred rupees it’s about the principle of fair pricing and honest communication. As airlines push the limits of what can be monetized, one must ask: Is the industry listening to its customers, or just its bottom line?
The time has come for greater transparency, stronger regulatory oversight, and a serious rethinking of what air travel should stand for in a growing economy like India’s. If India is truly aiming for world-class aviation standards, shouldn’t fairness and integrity come onboard too?
Until then, the Indian flyer is left wondering not just where they’ll land, but if they’ll have to pay extra just to sit there.