Rules on airfare pricing finalised; will be published in two weeks, Centre tells SC – The Tribune

Rules aimed at regulating airfare pricing have already received necessary administrative approvals, the Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that the same would be published within two weeks.

“The rules have been finalised and the administrative approval to the rules has been granted. The same would be published within two weeks,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a three-judge Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath.

The Bench asked Mehta to place the published rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 before it on the next date of hearing.

Senior Advocate Ravindra Srivastava questioned the delay in publishing the rules, saying the same issues have arisen ahead of Diwali this year.

However, in view of the Centre’s submissions, the Bench posted the PIL filed by activist S. Laxminarayanan flagging arbitrary and exorbitant airfare pricing by private airlines for further hearing on November 16.

Laxminarayanan has challenged “opaque, exploitative and algorithm-driven” pricing practices in the civil aviation sector.

Sudden increases in ticket prices during emergencies, festivals, and peak travel periods cause hardship to passengers who need to travel for medical, educational or employment-related reasons, the PIL contended.

It questioned the reduction in complimentary check-in baggage allowance from 25 kg to 15 kg, alleging that passengers were subjected to additional charges for services that were previously included in their tickets.

Laxminarayanan has sought a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector and regulatory guidelines to control the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.

Earlier, the top court had called for “rationalisation” in airfares charged by private airlines and urged the Centre to provide relief to air passengers.

“Try to give some relief to people. On the same day, flights to the same destination — one airline charges Rs 8,000, while another charges Rs 18,000 in economy class. There has to be some rationalisation,” it had noted.