IndiGo seat separation and the parent's playbook: what the Bagdogra-Kolkata case means for families flying in India in 2026
By Priya Nair (Priya Nair covers India's beach destinations — Andaman, Lakshadweep, Goa, Kerala — with a focus on the practical bits: which gateway airport, which ferry connects to which island, the permits, the scuba seasons, the budget math.) · Published · 10 min read
A family on an IndiGo flight from Bagdogra to Kolkata in 2026 was separated — a child seated rows away from their parents — despite being on the same PNR and having the same booking reference. The incident went viral, again. If you have been in this situation or are worried about it happening to your family, here is the regulation that protects you and the exact steps to enforce it at the airport.
TL;DR — what the rule says and what you should do
DGCA's Air Transport Circular 01/2024, in the provisions governing family seating (Rule 3.15 or equivalent clause — verify the exact number on dgca.gov.in), requires that children under 12 must not be separated from their accompanying parent or guardian on a scheduled Indian carrier flight without the airline first offering a free seat-change to seat them together. If IndiGo (or any Indian airline) separates your child from you at check-in, you can and should invoke this rule at the counter and ask for rectification before boarding. At the airport: screenshot your PNR confirmation showing all passengers, state the rule explicitly to the check-in agent, and ask for the supervisor if the agent cannot resolve it. Do not board until the seats are fixed or you have the supervisor's formal refusal in writing — because a written refusal is the evidence for your DGCA complaint.
What happened on the Bagdogra-Kolkata flight
In early 2026, a family travelling on IndiGo's Bagdogra (IXB) to Kolkata (CCU) route — a short sector of under an hour — found themselves assigned seats several rows apart at the airport check-in. The parents and the child were on the same PNR. The ground staff initially told the family that the flight was full and no adjacent seats were available, which the family disputed after seeing empty rows at boarding.
The incident was shared on social media by the family and picked up by several news outlets, contributing to a broader conversation about IndiGo's seat-assignment practices and the gap between DGCA's stated passenger rights and what actually happens at the airport. Similar complaints have been raised by families on IndiGo domestic routes across India for several years — this was not a new pattern, just a newly documented instance.
What made the 2026 case particularly notable was the family's subsequent formal complaint to DGCA via the AirSewa portal, and the fact that they had documentation (screenshots, boarding pass photographs) that made the case easy to file. The process they followed is worth understanding in detail, because it is the same process every family in this situation should use.
What DGCA Air Transport Circular 01/2024 actually says about family seating
It is worth being precise about what the regulation says, because airlines sometimes respond to vague invocations of 'passenger rights' by being equally vague. The DGCA's Air Transport Circular 01/2024 deals with passenger facilities and rights on scheduled carriers. The family-seating provision (cited as Rule 3.15 in reports about the 2026 incidents — verify the exact clause number on dgca.gov.in as regulatory documents are updated) requires:
- Children under 12 years of age travelling with an accompanying adult on the same PNR must be seated adjacent to that adult, or at least in the same cabin section where visibility is maintained.
- If the airline cannot accommodate this within the existing seat map, it must offer the family a free seat change to an adjacent pair of seats — the airline cannot charge the family for the relocation.
- The burden of finding adjacent seats lies with the airline, not the passenger.
Crucially, this rule applies to the seat assignment process — meaning the airline must have a system in place to prevent separation in the first place, not just fix it when a family complains. Airlines that routinely separate families with children under 12 as a default outcome of their automated seat assignment systems are in ongoing non-compliance with this requirement.
The DGCA also issued a separate circular in 2026 mandating that at least 60% of seats be freely selectable by passengers at no charge — this is a distinct (and contested) rule. The child-separation provision has clearer, longer-standing regulatory backing. Check dgca.gov.in for the current version of the relevant circular before your travel date.
The parent playbook: what to do at the airport step by step
This is the part most articles on this topic skip — the specific, concrete actions that actually work when you are standing at an airport check-in counter with a child and a ground staff member who says nothing can be done.
- Screenshot or photograph your PNR confirmation before you leave for the airport. Have it on your phone and in your email. The confirmation should show all passengers on the same booking reference. This is your first piece of evidence.
- At check-in, before accepting your boarding passes, check that the seat assignments are adjacent. Do not walk away from the counter with separated boarding passes without at least asking the question.
- State the rule explicitly. Say: 'I have a child under 12 on this PNR and we are on the same booking. Under DGCA's Air Transport Circular on child-parent seating, you are required to seat us together and any reseating must be at no charge. Please find adjacent seats for us.' You do not need to quote the rule number perfectly — naming the DGCA circular is enough for most agents to understand this is a formal assertion, not a casual request.
- Ask for the supervisor if the check-in agent says nothing can be done. The ground supervisor at most major Indian airports has more authority to override seat assignments than a counter agent. Be polite but firm. The phrase 'I need to speak with your supervisor, please' is something no one can refuse to facilitate.
- Ask for the refusal in writing. If the supervisor also says nothing can be done, say: 'Can I get your name and a written note that the airline is refusing to seat my child with me, so that I can file a DGCA complaint?' Most supervisors, at this point, will find adjacent seats. Those who do not have just handed you clear documentary evidence for an AirSewa filing.
- On the aircraft, ask the cabin crew. If you board with separated seats and there are empty seats visible, ask the cabin crew lead to help reseat the family. Cabin crew have more flexibility on a flight that is not 100% full.
- File the complaint on AirSewa immediately after the flight (airsewa.gov.in). Include: flight number, date, PNR number, the seat numbers you were assigned, photographs of boarding passes, the name of any agent or supervisor you spoke with, and a clear statement of what rule was invoked and what response was given.
Why does this keep happening? The structural reason
The seat-separation problem on IndiGo is not random — it is partly a product of the revenue model. IndiGo and other low-cost carriers generate significant revenue from paid seat selection. The system is designed to reserve the 'better' seats (window and aisle) for paying customers and release fewer adjacent pairs for free selection. As a flight fills up, the remaining free seats are increasingly scattered — and automated check-in systems then assign whatever is available without a family-awareness filter.
The DGCA regulations attempt to put a backstop on this: even if the booking system did not seat you together, the check-in system should flag 'child under 12 on this PNR' and prompt agents to fix it. Whether that flag and that prompt are reliably implemented is, based on recurring incidents, clearly not the case everywhere.
The practical implication for families: do not rely on IndiGo's system to automatically keep you together. Pre-select seats at booking (yes, even if it costs extra per person — it is usually cheaper than the stress of a fight at the airport), use web check-in 48 hours out to see whether adjacent free seats have opened, and book everyone on one PNR. The regulation is a backstop for when the system fails, not a substitute for pre-selecting seats.
What happened to IndiGo's practices after the incidents?
The Bagdogra-Kolkata incident, and others like it, occurred against the backdrop of the DGCA's 2026 push to require that 60% of seats be available for free selection. IndiGo contested that circular legally, but the regulatory pressure and the public attention on seat-separation cases have had some practical effect — IndiGo has expanded the pool of seats available for free selection in some markets and booking windows.
Whether this represents a structural change or a temporary response to regulatory heat remains to be seen. For families, the advice does not change: pre-select seats, book one PNR, arrive early, and know your rights under the DGCA family-seating provision. For the current status of the 60% free seat rule, see our related article DGCA 60% free seat rule: what families must know.
If you are searching for flights and want to compare IndiGo, Akasa and Air India across flexible dates, FlightGPT can help you find the schedule and fare that works before you choose where to book. And if you are a travel agent managing family bookings, the FlightGPT Partner portal gives you tools to manage group bookings with seat-selection visibility across the booking.
Frequently asked questions
What is DGCA Air Transport Circular 01/2024 and what does it say about family seating?
DGCA Air Transport Circular 01/2024 contains rules on passenger facilities and rights on scheduled Indian carriers. The family-seating provision (cited as Rule 3.15 in 2026 coverage of related incidents — verify the exact clause on dgca.gov.in) requires that children under 12 travelling on the same PNR as an accompanying adult must not be separated from that adult without the airline offering a free seat-change to seat them together. The obligation is on the airline, not the passenger.
What should I say at the IndiGo check-in counter if my child is separated from me?
State clearly: 'I have a child under 12 on this PNR. Under DGCA's passenger rights circular on family seating, you must seat us together at no charge.' Ask for the supervisor if the counter agent says nothing can be done. Request any refusal in writing — most supervisors will find adjacent seats rather than generate formal documentation of non-compliance. Do not accept separated boarding passes without at least escalating to a supervisor.
Can I get compensation if IndiGo separates my child from me?
A DGCA complaint via AirSewa (airsewa.gov.in) can result in the airline being required to respond and explain its actions, and DGCA has issued show-cause notices to airlines on passenger rights grounds. Direct monetary compensation from IndiGo for the inconvenience is not typically offered voluntarily — you would need to pursue it through the airline's internal complaints process (Nodal Officer contact details are mandated to be listed on the airline's website), a consumer forum, or the consumer courts if the refusal constitutes a service deficiency.
Does the child-parent seating rule apply to Akasa Air and Air India as well?
Yes. DGCA's passenger rights rules apply to all Indian scheduled carriers — IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet. Air India's seat selection policy is generally more generous in the first place (most fares include a free seat selection), so the issue arises less frequently in practice. Akasa Air has a similar LCC seat-charging model to IndiGo and the same obligation applies.
What evidence should I collect if IndiGo separates my family at the airport?
Photograph or screenshot: your booking confirmation showing all passengers on one PNR, the separated boarding passes, the seating chart if visible on the IndiGo app, and any written communication from the airline. Note the name of the check-in agent and supervisor you spoke with. Save the flight number, date, departure and arrival airports. Take a photograph of your boarding pass — it shows the gate, time and seat number in a single image. This set of evidence is sufficient to file a detailed AirSewa complaint.
Is it worth paying for seat selection on IndiGo to avoid this problem?
For a family with a child under 12, yes — for most people, the peace of mind of confirmed adjacent seats is worth the seat selection fee, which on a domestic IndiGo route typically runs from a few hundred rupees per person per sector for standard seats. The alternative — relying on the DGCA rule and dealing with the airport counter situation — is free in theory but costly in time and stress. Web check-in (48 hours before departure) is the second option: IndiGo often releases a new batch of free seats at that point, and adjacent pairs may be available without paying.