School trip group flights in India: what the March 2026 DGCA rules mean and how schools can actually benefit
By Arjun Kapoor (Arjun Kapoor tracks error fares, mileage runs and award-chart sweet spots for Indian travellers. He moderates two Telegram fare-alert channels and has booked Europe round-trips at sub-₹25,000 four times in the last 24 months.) · Published · 9 min read
A DGCA circular from March 2026 requires airlines to seat passengers on the same PNR in adjacent seats without charging a seat-selection fee. For schools organising group trips, this is a significant cost lever — especially given how aggressively IndiGo has historically charged for any seat that is not a random middle-seat assignment. Here is how to use the rule correctly, and what to do when an airline tries to ignore it.
TL;DR — the short answer
A March 2026 DGCA circular requires scheduled Indian airlines to seat passengers who share a PNR in adjacent seats and to do so without charging a seat-selection fee. For schools and institutions booking group flights, this means that booking all students on a single group PNR (or in tight sub-group PNRs) effectively gives you free adjacent seating — something that would otherwise cost thousands of rupees in seat-selection fees on IndiGo or Akasa. The caveat: the rule applies to the airline's best effort to seat pax adjacently, not an absolute guarantee if the flight is full; and as with the parallel 60% free seat rule, its legal enforceability was being contested by airlines as of mid-2026. In practice, citing the circular at the group desk stage has been enough to get the seating commitment in writing.
What the March 2026 DGCA adjacent-seating circular actually says
DGCA's March 2026 circular (issued under the Civil Aviation Requirements framework on passenger rights) contained two relevant provisions for group travel:
- Airlines must make a genuine effort to seat passengers travelling on the same PNR in adjacent seats — defined as seats in the same row or immediately adjacent rows, not just the same cabin.
- This adjacent seating must be provided without any additional charge beyond the fare. Airlines cannot hold adjacent seats behind a seat-selection paywall when passengers on the same PNR request them at the time of booking or check-in.
The circular references and extends the existing DGCA rule that children under 12 must not be separated from accompanying adults. The new provision brings group travellers (not just families with children) within the scope of a similar protection.
Airlines have contested the 60% free seat portion of the March 2026 circular more loudly than the adjacent-seating portion — possibly because the adjacent-seating rule was already implied by the child-separation rule. For schools, the adjacent-seating provision is arguably on stronger regulatory ground than the broader 60% rule. Verify the current status on dgca.gov.in before your booking.
How schools have historically been charged for seating — and why it is now contestable
Before 2026, a typical school trip on IndiGo looked like this: the group desk would book 40 students on a group PNR, block a section of seats in the cabin, and then offer the school two options — either pay a per-seat selection fee (often in the ₹299–₹799 range per sector per student, depending on route and demand) to get the block seated together, or accept random seat assignment with no guarantee that teachers and students are in the same rows.
For a school trip of 40 students at ₹400 per seat per leg on a return trip, that is potentially ₹32,000 in seat fees alone on top of the fares. Multiplied across multiple destination cities, it is a material cost. Some school administrators would quietly pay it because the alternative — 40 students scattered across a plane with supervision challenges — was not viable. Others pushed back, but without a regulatory basis, the outcome depended on the goodwill of the group desk agent.
The March 2026 DGCA circular changes the negotiation: you now have a written regulatory basis to request adjacent seating as part of the group fare at no extra charge. Put this in your written confirmation request to the airline's group desk.
Practical steps for booking a school trip group flight in 2026
Here is the process that actually works, based on how group desks at IndiGo and Air India operate:
- Contact the airline group desk directly. IndiGo: 1800-180-3838 (group enquiry line); Air India: group booking requests via their official website's 'Group Booking' section. Do not try to aggregate retail tickets — you need a negotiated group contract for groups of 10+.
- Request a group fare quotation for your travel dates and pax count. Ask specifically: (a) what the per-pax group fare is, (b) what the deposit and cancellation terms are, and (c) what the airline's policy is on adjacent seating for same-PNR group pax under the March 2026 DGCA circular.
- Get adjacent seating confirmed in writing. Do not accept a verbal assurance. The written group contract or email confirmation from the group desk should explicitly note that adjacent seating will be provided without additional charge per the DGCA circular.
- Finalise the name list early. Group contracts give you a name-hold window (typically 14–30 days from contracting). Schools often have the advantage of knowing exactly which students are going well in advance — use this to confirm names early and avoid last-minute name-change fees.
- Assign chaperone seats strategically. When submitting the name list, indicate which seats you want to be teacher/chaperone seats. Group desk agents generally accommodate specific seating preferences for supervisory roles.
- Confirm school letters and documentation. Some airlines request official institution letterhead when booking large student groups, particularly for international destinations. Have school letterhead ready for the group desk.
What if the airline refuses adjacent seating or charges for it?
If the airline's group desk refuses to confirm adjacent seating without a fee despite the March 2026 DGCA circular, your options:
- Quote the circular explicitly. Ask the group desk agent to confirm whether they are aware of the March 2026 DGCA circular on adjacent seating for same-PNR passengers. Sometimes a supervisory escalation at the group desk level resolves it — the front-line agent may not be updated on the latest DGCA communications.
- Put the request in writing. Email the group desk (most airlines have a group enquiry email address) citing the DGCA circular and requesting written confirmation of seating policy. A written refusal from the airline creates a paper trail for a DGCA complaint.
- File with AirSewa. The DGCA's passenger grievance portal (airsewa.gov.in) processes complaints about violations of passenger rights circulars. A complaint citing a specific circular tends to get faster resolution than a generic 'bad service' complaint.
- Consider Air India or Akasa. If IndiGo is being intractable and the route is served by Air India (whose economy fares generally include a free seat selection already) or Akasa, it may be worth comparing the total cost including any seat fees.
For school trips that involve international destinations, also check the visa requirements for student groups — some countries require group visa applications rather than individual ones. The FlightGPT visa guide has basic eligibility information, though you should always verify directly with the relevant consulate or visa application centre for school group requirements.
International school trips — additional considerations
International school group flights bring additional layers beyond the domestic booking process:
- Unaccompanied minor protocols do not automatically apply to school groups. Each student is the airline's responsibility only if booked as an unaccompanied minor (typically under 12 flying alone). School groups of students aged 12+ with a teacher chaperone on the same PNR are not classified as unaccompanied minors, even though the supervision structure is similar. This matters because unaccompanied minor services involve escort fees, specific seat assignments near crew, and special boarding procedures — school groups generally do not get these unless specifically requested and paid for.
- Medical fitness and parental consent. Airlines operating group bookings for minors may request parental consent forms, especially on international routes. Check the specific airline's policy when booking.
- Baggage allowance in group contracts. Group fare contracts sometimes include a consolidated baggage allowance that can be distributed differently across the group (useful if student field equipment or instruments are being carried). Ask the group desk explicitly.
- Emergency contact and guardian protocols. For international trips, have a school-designated guardian name and contact on file with the airline, and brief the group desk on the teacher-chaperone structure. This avoids delays at check-in where the airline may otherwise question why 40 minors are travelling together.
You can search domestic routes for your trip planning on FlightGPT to get a sense of the market fare range before approaching the airline group desk — it helps you gauge whether the group discount you are being offered is genuine or marginal. Also useful: our article on Group PNR vs Split Individual PNRs if you are considering whether a single group PNR or sub-group structure makes more sense for your school trip.
Bottom line for school administrators
The March 2026 DGCA adjacent-seating rule is genuinely useful for school trip bookings — use it proactively in negotiations with the airline group desk, and get the seating commitment in writing before you pay the deposit. The non-refundable deposit structure of group contracts still applies (typically 25–35% of the total), so build contingency into the school trip budget for potential cancellations. Book early, finalise the name list as soon as possible, and do not rely on verbal assurances for anything that has a cost implication.
Frequently asked questions
Does the DGCA adjacent-seating rule apply to all Indian airlines including IndiGo?
Yes, the March 2026 DGCA circular applies to all scheduled Indian carriers — IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet. Foreign carriers flying international routes are not within DGCA's jurisdiction for this rule. Verify the current enforcement status on dgca.gov.in before booking.
Can a school book group flights online without using the group desk?
Retail booking platforms cap individual bookings at 9 passengers. For school groups of 10+, you must contact the airline's group desk directly for a group fare negotiation. Booking in multiple batches of 9 on the retail site avoids the deposit structure but loses the group rate and the adjacent-seating protections that come with a group PNR.
What happens if a student drops out after the group PNR is confirmed?
You pay the per-seat cancellation penalty under the group contract for that student's seat. Depending on how close to departure you are, this could range from a modest penalty to the full per-pax fare for the seat. Name substitution (replacing the cancelled student with another) is usually cheaper if done before the name-change cutoff date in the contract.
Do IndiGo and Air India charge GST on the seat-selection fee, and is that refundable?
Yes, seat-selection fees attract 18% GST (they are classified as ancillary services). If the adjacent-seating rule means you should not have been charged the fee at all, both the fee and the GST on it should be refundable. Get the airline's written acknowledgment of the DGCA rule compliance before pursuing a refund.
Are teachers and chaperones counted in the 10-pax minimum for a group fare?
Yes, the group fare minimum is based on total pax on the PNR, not just students. So a group of 8 students and 2 teachers still qualifies for group fare negotiations at most airlines. Some airlines may have a higher minimum (12 or 15 pax) depending on the route and season — confirm with the group desk.