Actively considering issues related to surge in airfares during festivals, Centre tells SC
The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Ministry of Civil Aviation was actively considering the issues raised in a PIL, which sought regulatory guidelines to control the unpredictable fluctuations in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which termed the issue as “serious”, granted four weeks to the Centre for the conclusion of the deliberations on the issue flagged in the public interest litigation (PIL).
“This is a very serious concern. Otherwise, we don’t entertain 32 petitions,” the bench said.
Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik said that they need at least three weeks to file their response on the PIL as the concerned ministry is actively considering the issues raised in the petition.
The bench, which recorded that the issues have been taken note by the ministry, posted the matter for further hearing on March 23. On January 19, the top court said it would interfere with the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfares and flagged the exorbitant rise during festivals.
The top court termed the exorbitant rise of airfares by the airlines as “exploitation” and asked the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to file their replies to a PIL seeking binding regulatory guidelines to control the unpredictable fluctuations in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.
On November 17, the top court sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea by social activist S Laxminarayanan, who has sought to establish a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector. It has issued notices to the Centre, the DGCA and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India seeking their responses on the plea.
The plea said that all private airlines have, without any credible justification, 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”.
The petition said that currently, no authority has the power to review or cap airfares or ancillary fees, allowing the airlines to exploit consumers through hidden charges and unpredictable pricing.
