NEW DELHI, JULY 12: The Supreme Court will hear on July 13 a plea seeking regulatory measures to curb “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfares and additional charges imposed by private airlines in India.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta will hear the petition filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan, who has sought the creation of a strong and independent regulator to ensure transparency and protect air passengers.
The plea argues that airlines have been engaging in arbitrary fare hikes, hidden charges, and frequent changes in passenger services without adequate regulation.
During an earlier hearing on May 15, the apex court had raised concerns over the variation in airfares charged by different airlines for the same route and called for rationalisation of ticket prices. The court had asked the Centre to explore measures to provide relief to passengers.
The Centre informed the court that the new Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 came into force in January 2025 and that related rules are under consultation.
Laxminarayanan, represented by senior advocate Ravindra Srivastava, argued that provisions already existed under the Aircraft Act, 1937, but were not being effectively implemented.
The petition also challenged the reduction of free check-in baggage allowance for economy-class passengers by airlines from 25 kg to 15 kg, alleging that passengers are being forced to pay additional charges for services earlier included in ticket prices.
It further claimed that the absence of regulatory control over fare algorithms, cancellation policies, and ancillary fees allows airlines to impose arbitrary pricing, especially during festivals, emergencies, and peak travel periods.
The Supreme Court had earlier sought responses from the Centre and other stakeholders on the matter and observed that excessive fare increases during high-demand periods could amount to passenger exploitation.
