An urgent listing request of a petition seeking to challenge the increase in almost 700 per cent in airfares was rejected by the Supreme Court on Monday. Advocate pointed out the huge surge in airfares in the presence of a bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, Aparesh Kumar Singh.
“Don’t travel by air,” replied the bench when the advocate has informed them that fares had jumped 700 per cent. The advocate said that the increase was a breach of the right to equality before the law guaranteed by Article 14 of the constitution and because air transport was deemed a fundamental service.
Separate Plea Seeks Independent Aviation Regulator
The Supreme Court is already taking an oral hearing of a separate petition filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan. The plea includes the demand of arranging an independent regulatory authority which would bring transparency and protection for passengers and guidelines to tackle unpredictable fluctuations in airfares and extra charges being levied by private airlines.
On 16 October, the Centre has told the Court that the rules for the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam 2024 had been approved by the administration. The rules should be posted in no more than two weeks. Mehta, the solicitor general has been directed to put these published rules before the court at next hearing on November 16.
Court Earlier Flagged Festival Fare Hikes
The court had been informed by the Centre, on August 17, that it has hastened the framing of rules under the legislation. The Supreme Court had in January shown concerns about “unpredictable air fare fluctuations”, especially during “festive seasons”, and had asked the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to respond to the request, calling exorbitant air fare increases as “exploitation”.