SC Seeks Centre’s Reply On Airfare Fluctuations

The apex court agreed to hear the petition filed by social activist S. Laxminarayanan, who has sought the creation of a robust, independent regulator to ensure transparency and protect passengers in the civil aviation sector.

A two-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices to the Union government, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), seeking their responses. The matter has been posted for hearing after four weeks.

The plea alleged that private airlines, without credible justification, have reduced the free check-in baggage allowance for economy-class passengers from 25 kg to 15 kg, “thereby converting what was earlier part of the ticketed service into a new revenue stream.”

It argued that the “new policy permitting only a single check-in bag, without offering any rebate, compensation or benefit to passengers who do not carry check-in baggage, demonstrates the arbitrary and discriminatory nature of the measure.”

The petition further claimed that no authority currently has the power to review or cap airfares or ancillary fees, allowing airlines to exploit consumers through hidden charges and unpredictable pricing.

The “unregulated, opaque and exploitative conduct of airlines, including arbitrary fare hikes, unilateral reduction of services, lack of on-ground grievance redressal, and unjustified dynamic pricing algorithms, directly infringes citizens’ fundamental rights to equality, freedom of movement, and life with dignity,” it said.

The absence of regulatory safeguards results in arbitrary fare hikes, especially during festivals or weather-related disruptions, disproportionately impacting poorer passengers and last-minute travellers, the plea added.