SC Directs Centre To Submit New Airline Fare Rules In A Month Amid Concerns Over Arbitrary Ticket Prices

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central Government to place its finalised rules addressing excessive and arbitrary airfares charged by private airlines before the court within a month.

The direction came during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) questioning the pricing practices of private airline operators.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the government had approved the proposed regulations and that they would be published within a fortnight.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for Nov 16 and directed the Centre to submit the rules by then.

Court Seeks Action Against Arbitrary Ticket Pricing

The PIL raises concerns about significant variations in airfares, particularly instances where passengers face unusually high ticket prices.

The petition seeks greater scrutiny of airline pricing practices and regulatory measures to protect travellers from potentially arbitrary charges.

During an earlier hearing in August, the Supreme Court had expressed concern over airlines allegedly failing to comply with government instructions.

The court had asked the Centre to consider grounding carriers that did not follow applicable rules.

At that hearing, the government had indicated that regulations governing airline fares would be finalised within three weeks.

However, the matter remained under judicial consideration as the proposed framework awaited completion.

The court's latest direction follows the government's submission that the regulations have now received approval.

Govt To Publish Airfare Regulations Within Two Weeks

The Ministry of Civil Aviation had previously informed the Supreme Court that it was issuing office memorandums to airlines concerning ticket pricing until formal regulations were introduced.

According to the ministry's earlier submission, some airlines were not complying with these directives.

The court had also examined draft airfare regulations submitted by the government in a sealed cover.

During Friday's proceedings, Mehta indicated that the administrative approval process had been completed.

The government is now expected to publish the rules before presenting them to the Supreme Court.

The case highlights continuing judicial scrutiny of private airlines' pricing practices and the need for clearer regulatory oversight.

The precise provisions of the proposed rules, including any restrictions on fare increases or enforcement mechanisms, have not been disclosed in the supplied report.

The court will review the matter at its next scheduled hearing.