The Supreme Court on Friday urged the center to take steps to rationalize airfares, saying there should be some balance in ticket pricing after noting that fares for the same route on the same day can vary sharply between airlines.
A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation that seeks regulatory control over unpredictable airfare fluctuations and additional charges imposed by private carriers.
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Supreme Court hears plea seeking regulatory guidelines to control unpredictable fluctuations in airfare and extra charges imposed by private airlines during festive seasons and holidays
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Bench: Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta pic.twitter.com/drnJQVIyIF
One route, two very different bills
The bench pointed to a disparity it described as striking, saying that one airline was charging ₹8,000 while another was charging ₹18,000 for economy class tickets on the same sector.
“Try to give some relief to the people because of the discrepancy,” the court told solicitor general Tushar Mehta.
The court also said, “There has to be some rationalization," as it pressed the center on the need for a more immediate response to volatile ticket prices.
Rules under the new law remain in consultation
Mehta informed the court that the government was not disputing the problem and said the issue was being treated as non-adversarial.
He told the bench that the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, had already come into force. The rules under the new law were still under consultation.
The Centre’s stand, as recorded by the court, was that the rule-making exercise was ongoing and may take some time.
Supreme Court Calls for Rationalisation of Airfares, Flags Wide Price Gaps in Same Routes | Daily Pioneer @TheDailyPioneer https://t.co/sXgPyLat5V
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The plea keeps the debate neatly aloft
The plea before the court, filed by social activist S. Laxminarayanan, seeks guidelines to curb unpredictable airfare changes and regulate ancillary charges, while also calling for a robust and independent regulator for the civil aviation sector.
According to the petition, there is already legal authority to act against predatory or excessive fares, and the problem lies in non-use of existing powers.
The court noted that the consultation process for the new rules is continuing and asked the petitioner to reply to the Centre’s counter-affidavit.
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Not done with the issue yet
The matter has been posted for hearing on July 13.
The case has come up repeatedly before the Supreme Court in recent months, including earlier hearings in which the bench flagged steep fare spikes during festivals and questioned the center over the lack of a response.
The petition also raises concerns about baggage allowance reductions, ancillary fees, and what it describes as opaque pricing practices by airlines.
