SC asks Centre to place rules concerning airfares before it
New Delhi, July 13
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to place on record, within two weeks, the rules framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, a legislation intended to modernise the country's civil aviation framework.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked the Centre to submit the rules before the court in a sealed cover, regardless of whether they have been laid before Parliament.
The counsel appearing for the Centre informed the bench that the draft rules are ready and they are in the process of translation. The counsel said the rules have to be placed before Parliament.
"We grant two weeks' time to the respondents to place before this court in a sealed cover the rules which have been framed, irrespective of the fact whether they are placed before the Houses of Parliament," said the bench.
The top court posted the matter for further hearing on August 3.
The order of the top court came on a PIL filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan seeking a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector.
The plea also sought regulatory guidelines to control the "unpredictable fluctuations" in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.
Earlier, the Centre had told the apex court that the Ministry of Civil Aviation was actively considering the issues raised in the plea.
The apex court had termed the exorbitant rise in airfares by the airlines "exploitation", and sought a response from the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the plea.
All private airlines have, without any credible justification, reduced the free check-in baggage allowance for economy class passengers from 25 kg to 15 kg, "thereby converting what was earlier part of the ticketed service into a new revenue stream", the petition stated.
The petition further claimed that currently, no authority has the power to review or cap airfares or ancillary fees, allowing the airlines to exploit consumers through hidden charges and unpredictable pricing.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see the Indian judiciary stepping in on airline pricing. In the US, we have the DOT but they're pretty hands-off. This could be a good move for consumer protection, but I hope it doesn't lead to over-regulation that stifles competition.
The baggage allowance reduction from 25kg to 15kg is such a scam! 😡 Airlines just keep finding new ways to squeeze money out of us. Even the so-called "budget" airlines are anything but budget these days. Thank you, SC, for taking notice!
I think the court is right to ask for transparency, but we also need to understand that airlines have costs—fuel, maintenance, airport fees. Dynamic pricing is common globally. The key is to make the rules fair, not just cap prices blindly. Let's see what the government proposes.
As someone who travels frequently for work, I've seen fares double overnight for no reason. The hidden fees for seat selection, meals, and even check-in baggage are ridiculous. We need a strong regulator like TRAI for telecom but for aviation. SC ka intervention bahut zaroori tha!
Respectfully, I think the court's focus should be on safety and infrastructure, not pricing. Free markets usually work best. But I understand the frustration—Indian airlines do have a reputation for opaque pricing. Striking a balance is crucial.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.