Despite paying ₹43,900, man claims IndiGo seated 3-year-old child away from parents; airline responds

A lawyer from Nagpur has accused IndiGo of seating his three-year-old child separately from the parents during a flight from Bagdogra to Kolkata, sparking criticism on social media.

In a post shared on LinkedIn, Gaurav Mishra alleged that the airline allotted “random jumbled seats” to his family even though all three passengers were travelling under the same booking and PNR.

“Indigo forced my 3-year-old kid to travel alone in seat because their parents didn’t pay extra for seat selection,” Mishra wrote.

“In my case, they forced my 3-year-old kid to sit unaccompanied without any Parent in the next seat despite having a highly turbulent route of Bagdogra to Kolkata,” he said.

The lawyer stated that he had paid ₹43,900 for three tickets, but claimed the family was still assigned separate seats.

“Despite paying ₹43,900 for three tickets, we were selectively granted random jumbled seats, which is a violation of DGCA rules as well as severe unfair trade practice,” he added.

He also claimed that the child felt “unattended and emotionally disturbed” during the journey.

Along with the complaint, Mishra posted a screenshot of the relevant DGCA guideline. The highlighted section stated that airlines must ensure children up to the age of 12 are seated with at least one parent or guardian travelling under the same booking and PNR.

The post quickly gained attention online, with several users questioning airline seat allocation practices.

“Hi, we tried calling you on your registered contact number; however, we were unable to establish a connection. Please share an alternate contact number along with a convenient time to speak with you,” the airline wrote.

In another response, the airline added: “Mr Mishra, we tried connecting with you on the call but couldn’t establish contact. We request you to share a convenient time or an alternate contact number via DMs so we may connect with you for further communication.”

“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,” one user commented.

“This is deeply concerning. Forcing a 3-year-old to sit unattended is not just a violation of DGCA guidelines, but a significant safety and emotional risk,” another user wrote.

Another user commented: “This is now a feature with all airlines. Pay for your seats otherwise, families will be separated and senior citizens will be allotted middle seats on purpose. I suggest that seating fees should be added upfront and seat selection should be allowed at the time of ticket purchase.”