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Air India has upgraded a total of 3,26,195 passengers to higher class on its flights in the last three fiscals and in April this year, Lok Sabha was informed today.

During this period, the national carrier has flown 5,08,62,223 passengers across its domestic and international network and the number of upgrades do not constitute even one per cent of the total number of passengers flown during this period, according to the data given by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma.

The number of upgrades reported by the carrier during financial year 2013-14 stood at 1,28,174, or 0.83 per cent of the total 1,54,10,000 passengers flown during this period.

Similarly, FY'15 and FY'16, saw 1,05,594 and 84,894 passengers getting upgraded to upper class respectively, accounting for 0.63 and 0.50 per cent of the total passengers transported by Air India during these financial years, he said.

According to Sharma, in April of the current fiscal, a total of 7,553 passengers, or 0.48 per cent, were upgraded out of the 1,58,223 total passengers having flown on the carrier's network.

Upgrades are carried out by Air India on the grounds like payment of the prescribed amount by the passengers, during overbooked flights or because of other commercial considerations as well, the Minister said.

These upgrades are done subject to availability of higher class seats and payment of the prescribed amount by the passenger, wherever applicable, he said.

Such upgrades are done by the authorised executives of Air India at different levels depending upon the nature of upgrade, Sharma said.