SpiceJet will charge more for those blocking seats on all its domestic and international flights, from September 21.

In a circular to travel agents, the Delhi based low-cost airline said the seat fee is being revised to ₹250 from ₹150 earlier for booking a front middle seat on a domestic flight operated on a Boeing aircraft, while on an international flight operated with this aircraft the fee will be ₹400 (₹300 earlier).

While the airline has not revised the fee for blocking the rear middle seat on domestic flights operated with a Boeing 737, it will charge ₹150 (₹99 earlier) for this seat on its international flights.

Similarly, on the flights operated by the Bombadier Q 400 aircraft the airline has revised the seat fee to ₹250 from ₹200 earlier for the front window and aisle seat and to ₹150 (₹100 earlier) for blocking the rear window or aisle seat.

On international flights operated with the Q 400 aircraft, a passenger will be charged ₹400 (₹350 earlier) for blocking either the front window or the aisle seat while for blocking the rear window or aisle seat a flier will have to pay ₹300 (₹250 earlier).

The latest hike in rates will help the airline increase its ancillary revenues. The airline had said in a media statement in August while announcing its results for the quarter ending June 30 that its ancillary revenues had grown to 17 per cent from 6 per cent in the last two years.

In 2013, the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) allowed domestic airlines to charge for preferential seating, meals/snack/drinks (except drinking water) and for using airline lounges, among others things.

Most domestic airlines charge for seating in the front and a few other rows if the passenger decides to pre-book these.