Airline Fare Rules Finalised, Centre Tells Supreme Court; Publication Due in Two Weeks

The Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday that rules to regulate airline ticket prices and additional charges have been finalised and received administrative approval, with publication expected within two weeks.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, R. Mahadevan and Aparesh Kumar Singh took note of the submission made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, and directed the government to place the published rules before it at the next hearing.

The court scheduled the next hearing for November 16.

Supreme Court Seeks Relief for Air Passengers

The proceedings stem from a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activist S. Laxminarayanan, challenging what the petition describes as opaque, exploitative and algorithm-driven pricing practices in the civil aviation sector.

The plea also questions the reduction in complimentary check-in baggage allowance and seeks a comprehensive regulatory framework to oversee airline fares and additional charges.

In an earlier hearing, the Justice Vikram Nath-led bench had called for rationalisation of airfares, citing substantial differences in ticket prices charged by airlines for flights to the same destination.

"Try to give some relief to people," the bench had observed, pointing out that one airline could charge Rs 8,000 for an economy-class ticket while another charged Rs 18,000 for the same destination on the same day.

The court said there needed to be some rationalisation in fares charged by private airlines.

Festive Fares and Surge Pricing Under Scrutiny

The Supreme Court has been examining concerns over unpredictable airfare fluctuations, particularly during festivals, holidays and other peak travel periods.

The petition argues that sudden price increases can cause hardship to passengers travelling for medical emergencies, education and employment-related reasons.

It has also raised concerns over additional charges imposed by airlines, including those for services that passengers previously received as part of their tickets.

The Centre had earlier informed the court that it was framing rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, to address concerns related to airline pricing, surge fares and excess baggage charges.

The government had assured the court that the issues raised in the petition were being examined at the highest level.

Petition Challenges Baggage Allowance Cut

The plea has questioned the reduction in complimentary check-in baggage allowance from 25 kg to 15 kg, alleging that passengers are now being charged extra for baggage that was previously included in their tickets.

It has sought an independent aviation tariff regulator or a comprehensive regulatory framework to oversee airfare structures, monitor airline compliance and address passenger grievances.

The rules are expected to come before the Supreme Court after their publication, with the government required to place them before the bench at the next hearing on November 16.