India, April 2 -- The Ministry of Civil Aviation has put on hold its order mandating airlines to offer at least 60% of seats free of charge.

The rule was to come into effect from April 20.

Why was the decision paused

In a notification on Thursday, the ministry said it reviewed the March order after representations from the Federation of Indian Airlines and Akasa Air.

Airlines flagged operational and commercial concerns.

They also warned of an impact on fares and the deregulated tariff system.

What the rule proposed

The rule proposed raising free seat selection from 20% to 60%. Currently, most seats beyond the free quota are paid.

Charges range from Rs.200 to Rs.2,100, depending on seat type and legroom.

Airlines' concerns

Airlin...