A lawyer from Nagpur has accused IndiGo of making his three-year-old child sit separately from his parents during a flight from Bagdogra to Kolkata, leading to strong reactions on social media. Sharing his experience on LinkedIn, Gaurav Mishra alleged that the airline allotted disconnected seats to the family despite all three passengers travelling under the same booking and PNR. In his post, Mishra claimed that the airline forced his young child to occupy a separate seat because the family had not paid additional charges for seat selection. The incident quickly drew criticism online, with many users questioning the airline’s seating policy involving minors and parents.
Mishra further alleged that the airline’s action violated Rule 3.15 of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s Air Transport Circular 01 of 2024. He stated that the child was made to sit without either parent beside him, even though the Bagdogra–Kolkata route is known for turbulence. He stated that despite spending ₹43,900 on three tickets, the family received “random jumbled seats,” which he described as both a breach of DGCA regulations and an unfair trade practice. Mishra also claimed that the child felt emotionally upset and unattended throughout the flight. Along with his complaint, he uploaded a screenshot of the DGCA guideline highlighting that children up to 12 years old must be seated with at least one parent or guardian travelling on the same booking and PNR.
Reacting to the allegations, IndiGo responded publicly to Mishra through social media comments. The airline stated that it had tried contacting him on his registered phone number but could not establish communication. In its response, IndiGo requested the lawyer to provide an alternate contact number along with a suitable time for discussion. In another comment, the airline repeated that attempts to connect with him over a phone call had failed and asked him to share a convenient time or alternate contact details through direct messages for further communication. The airline has not yet issued any detailed public clarification regarding the seating arrangement allegations or the claimed violation of DGCA guidelines.
Social Media Reaction:
A user commented, "Pathetic and insensitive..Passenger safety and child welfare should come before seat management or commercial considerations. Airlines cannot treat families with toddlers like random passengers. Deeply disappointing and a serious lapse in customer care. #DGCA #PassengerRights IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd)" Another user wrote, "As a responsible parent, were you not supposed to do web check in and do the seat selection? Not defending the airline in anyway!" A third user commented, "File a case and set an example. Mental trauma for a kid is very high. It's not about compensation but court should give good order reprimanding the airline. People don't realise but duopoly to an extent in telecom sector is also going to face these kind of issues."