Supreme Court Raises Concerns Over Airline Ticket Pricing Discrepancies

Supreme Court's Directive on Airline Pricing

On Friday, the Supreme Court expressed significant concerns regarding the arbitrary pricing of airline tickets and instructed the central government to explore measures to alleviate the burden on travelers. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta highlighted the stark differences in fares for the same route, questioning why one airline charges ₹8,000 for an economy seat while another demands ₹18,000. During the proceedings, the judges emphasized the need for "some rationality" in pricing, as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the new aviation law passed in 2024 is now in effect, with discussions on its regulations still ongoing. He further stated that the government acknowledges this issue and is considering solutions, viewing the matter as fair.

Petitioner Calls for Stricter Regulations

This case is linked to a petition filed by social activist S. Lakshminarayanan, who urged the establishment of an independent regulatory body to ensure transparency in airfares and to curb unexpected increases and additional charges. Senior advocate Ravindra Srivastava, representing the petitioner, argued that while regulations exist under the Aircraft Act of 1937, they are not being implemented effectively. He pointed out that the Director General of Civil Aviation has the authority to intervene in cases of unreasonable fares, yet no directives have been issued in this regard.

New Aviation Regulations Under Development

The Solicitor General mentioned that the old regulations remain valid while new guidelines are being formulated under the 2024 Indian Aircraft Act. The bench instructed the petitioner to respond to the central government's affidavit, scheduling the next hearing for July 13.