3 weeks ago
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The Supreme Court connected Friday (May 15, 2026) urged the Union authorities to analyse measures for the “rationalisation” of airfares, pointing to the stark disparity successful summons prices charged by antithetic airlines for the aforesaid way connected a azygous day.
A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was proceeding a nationalist involvement litigation filed by societal activistic S. Laxminarayan seeking the formulation of binding regulatory norms to code arbitrary airfare pricing and ancillary charges imposed by backstage airlines during festive periods, holidays, and emergencies.
Appearing for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the tribunal that the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, has already travel into unit and that rules nether the caller authorities are presently astatine the consultation stage.
“There’s a caller Act that has travel into force... The rules are successful the process of consultation. We volition see each the aspects,” Mr. Mehta submitted.
Justice Mehta, however, observed that the Centre ought to see interim measures to supply alleviation to passengers affected by erratic and wide fluctuating airfare prices.
“Try to supply immoderate alleviation to passengers successful presumption of this disparity. On the aforesaid day, for flights operating connected the aforesaid route, 1 hose charges ₹8,000 portion different charges ₹18,000 for system class,” helium remarked.
Mr. Mehta acknowledged the concern, but maintained that immoderate semipermanent solution could lone beryllium achieved done the formulation of statutory rules nether the caller aviation regime. “I americium not disputing the problem, but the solution has to beryllium by statutory rules,” helium said.
However, elder advocator Ravindra Srivastava, appearing for the petitioner, contended that capable powers already beryllium nether the prevailing regulatory framework, but are not being exercised by the authorities. He submitted that adjacent nether the erstwhile Aircraft Act, 1934, authorities were empowered to intervene successful cases wherever airlines engaged successful predatory oregon excessive pricing practices.
“They are not issuing immoderate directions. The rules are there, the powerfulness is there, but it is simply a lawsuit of non-exercise of powers,” helium submitted.
Concurring with the contention, the Bench observed that immoderate grade of “rationalisation” successful airfare pricing was indispensable and asked the Centre however overmuch clip it would necessitate to finalise the rules nether the 2024 Act.
Mr. Mehta responded that the rule-making workout nether the caller enactment was underway and could instrumentality “some time” to conclude.
Accordingly, the Bench posted the substance for further proceeding successful July and granted clip to the petitioner to record a reply to the Centre’s affidavit.
The petition, filed done advocator Charu Mathur, pointed retired that determination is presently nary regulatory authorization vested with the powerfulness to reappraisal oregon headdress airfares, enabling airlines to exploit consumers done hidden fees and unpredictable pricing. It said specified practices disproportionately impact economically weaker passengers, who are often compelled to acquisition tickets during periods of highest surge pricing, portion wealthier travellers tin program and publication successful advance.
New aviation rules astatine ‘advanced stage’
In its affidavit earlier the court, the Union authorities stated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA were astatine an “advanced stage” of finalising draught rules nether the 2024 Act, which would regenerate the erstwhile Aircraft Rules, 1937. It further stated that the authorities were “making each effort” to “fast-track” the process successful airy of the “emerging scenario”.
The DGCA maintained that the wider issues raised successful the petition, specified arsenic surge pricing during festivals and holidays, baggage fees, and algorithm-based fluctuations successful airfares, were already being examined arsenic portion of the ongoing workout to framework caller aviation rules. It argued that the PIL whitethorn present beryllium treated arsenic a acceptable of “representations oregon suggestions” and disposed of accordingly.
“The Government’s committedness to making aerial question affordable is reflected successful its displacement from a command-and-control exemplary to a deregulated authorities with indispensable safeguards. The Union intervenes decisively erstwhile marketplace behaviour threatens nationalist interest, arsenic seen during the pandemic, the Mahakumbh, and akin determination disruptions,” the affidavit stated.
The Centre pointed retired that the rule-making workout was taxable to respective layers of statutory scrutiny, including parliamentary oversight mandated nether Section 35 of the 2024 Act, which stipulates that the projected rules indispensable beryllium placed earlier some Houses of Parliament for 30 days.
“This rigorous statutory process is indispensable to guarantee that the projected rules are transparent, robust, and successful the nationalist interest,” the affidavit added.
