Will review web check-in charges, says Civil Aviation Ministry after IndiGo furore

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced that it would review the decision of some airlines to charge for web check-ins. A tweet from the ministry said it would review if such charges would fall within its unbundled pricing framework.

The Ministry’s announcement came after online furore of the decision of budget carrier IndiGo to start charging passengers for the selection of seats during web check-ins.

“MoCA has noted that airlines are now charging for web check-in for all seats.  We are reviewing these fees to see whether they fall within the unbundled pricing framework,” read the tweet from the Ministry’s handle.

IndiGo had announced a change in its policies, making all seats chargeable for web check-ins. This had come into effect on November 14. Previously, customers were charge only for selecting certain seats. They could choose not to pick a seat, allowing the airline to allot a seat of its choice to them without extra charge. IndiGo’s new policy left free allocation of seats for check-ins at the airport unchanged.

The policy sparked heavy criticism online over the weekend, prompting the promise of a review from the Ministry.

The criticism had ranged from accusations of airlines starting to charge passengers for services that have so far been given without extra charge, to expressions of displeasure over what some claimed was a step towards increasing queues and congestion at airports.