'Unpredictable Airfares, Airline Charges': Supreme Court To Hear Plea Seeking Tighter Rules On Monday

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea seeking regulatory guidelines to address "unpredictable fluctuations" in airfares and ancillary charges levied by private airlines in India, PTI reported.

According to the apex court's cause list for September 7, the matter will be heard by a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.

The plea has been filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan, who has sought a robust and independent regulatory mechanism to ensure transparency and protect passengers across the civil aviation sector.

Centre fast-tracks aviation rules

During the previous hearing on August 17, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it had expedited the process of framing rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which seeks to modernise India's aviation sector.

The government said the rules would be finalised within three weeks and placed the draft before the bench in a sealed cover, stating that some final discussions were still underway.

The court had noted that Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik, appearing for the Centre, sought three weeks to finalise the draft rules and present them before the bench.

On July 13, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to place the rules framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, before it in a sealed cover, regardless of whether they had already been placed before Parliament.

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Laxminarayanan has sought regulatory guidelines to control fluctuations in airfares and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines.

Senior advocate Ravindra Srivastava, appearing for the petitioner, had argued that the existing rules continue to operate until the new regulations come into force.

He questioned the authorities' "lack of willingness" and the effectiveness of the existing mechanism, arguing that airlines were charging exorbitant fares.

The plea claims that private airlines have reduced the free check-in baggage allowance for economy-class passengers from 25 kg to 15 kg without credible justification. It alleges that this has converted what was earlier part of the ticketed service into an additional revenue stream.

It also challenges the policy of allowing only one piece of check-in baggage and the absence of any rebate, compensation or benefit for passengers who do not use the baggage facility.

According to the plea, there is currently no authority with the power to review or cap airfares or ancillary fees, allowing airlines to charge consumers through hidden fees and unpredictable pricing.

Also Read | SC asks Centre to place rules before it to regulate airfares in 2 weeks Supreme Court flags high airfares

The Supreme Court had earlier raised concerns over the sharp fluctuations in airfares.

While hearing the plea on May 15, the apex court said there should be some rationalisation of airfares and asked the Centre to provide relief to passengers.

In January, the court said it would intervene over "unpredictable fluctuations " in airfares and highlighted sharp increases during festival periods.

The court had described exorbitant airfare increases as "exploitation" and directed the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to respond to the plea.

The case will now come up before the Supreme Court on September 7.

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