‘Unpredictable fluctuations’ in airfares: SC asks Centre to place rules before it within 2 weeks
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to place before it, within two weeks, the rules framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, while hearing a plea seeking regulatory guidelines to curb the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfares and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines. The top court asked the government to submit the rules in a sealed cover, irrespective of whether they have been placed before Parliament.A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order after the Centre informed it that the draft rules were ready and were currently undergoing translation. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which came into force in January 2025, aims to modernise the country’s aviation sector, while the accompanying rules are yet to be notified. The case stems from a petition seeking a robust and independent aviation regulator to ensure greater transparency and passenger protection.The plea, filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan, seeks an independent regulator to oversee the civil aviation sector and introduce safeguards against arbitrary airfare hikes and hidden airline charges. The petitioner has argued that the absence of regulatory oversight has allowed private airlines to impose unpredictable pricing and ancillary fees, particularly during periods of high demand.
