Indigo and other airlines forcing paid seat selections

Almost all airlines are trying to squeeze extra 300-400 INR from each passengers during web check-in trying to trick or force them into selecting a paid seat.

Of course they claim free seats are available but the process is deliberately made complex.

If I opt for random seat allocation, we get a message that the boarding pass will be sent 3 hours prior to departure time. No SMS/email acknowledgement. Most people on twitter have complained that they never got those email or SMS.

Passengers are told "Web Checkin is mandatory" as per DGCA but no obligations on airlines to honor their part of the process and issue a boarding pass if passenger doesn't want to pay extra for seat selection.

Below is my recent experience with Indigo

As I was trying to do web check-in, I had two options- one, pay 100 Rs (this was ATR flight, 300 for Airbus) and get a boarding pass immediately, or select for random seat allocation.

I opted for random seat allocation and the process ended abruptly- no SMS or email that I've done my check-in and only seat allocation is pending. Airlines should immediately issue a boarding pass maybe with seat section blank. We are supposed to get an email with boarding pass and seat number 3 hour prior to departure time. Good luck with that.

Indigo will flag boarding pass of passengers who didn't pay for seat as XSAT. Which will directly inform anyone looking at your boarding pass that you are so kanjoos person who didn't want to spend extra 300 Rs for a seat. I feel this is insulting.

I have one flight with Akasa in September- will see how that experience goes.