The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed airlines to conduct routine seat inspections to ensure serviceability, a move underscored by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol in a Rajya Sabha reply on Monday at 8:27 PM IST. The advisory follows a February incident where Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized Air India for assigning him a “broken and sunk” seat, prompting an apology and ministerial action.

Mohol clarified that airlines bear the onus of maintaining seats and cabin equipment per approved manuals. “Cabin crew log defects in-flight, and non-functional seats must be repaired before passenger allocation,” he stated, noting the ministry does not track data on replaced seats across carriers. In response to complaints about poor seat quality and in-flight facilities, the DGCA urged operators to prioritize comfort and functionality.

Air India, singled out after Chouhan’s experience, has initiated a weekly inspection program to check seat cushions for sagging every seven days, Mohol confirmed. The airline faced scrutiny after the incident on an unspecified flight, with Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu ordering corrective measures last month.

The DGCA’s directive aligns with broader efforts to enhance passenger experience amid India’s aviation boom, where carriers like Air India—privatized to Tata in 2022—manage aging fleets alongside expansion. As airlines adapt, this focus on regular maintenance aims to prevent repeats of high-profile embarrassments, ensuring seats match the promise of soaring skies.