Don't travel by air, says Supreme Court; refuses urgent listing of plea alleging 700% hike in airfares
New Delhi Don’t travel by air, the Supreme Court told a petitioner on Monday (November 2, 2026) while refusing urgent listing of a plea alleging nearly 700% increase in airfares. New rules to regulate volatile airfares to be published in two weeks, Centre tells SC New rules to regulate volatile airfares to be published in two weeks, Centre tells SC The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by social activist S.
Laxminarayan seeking binding regulatory norms to curb arbitrary airfare pricing and ancillary charges levied by private airlines during festive periods, holidays and emergencies New rules to regulate volatile airfares to be published in two weeks, Centre tells SC storyline 1 An advocate mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Aparesh Kumar Singh.
“The aviation fare has increased by 700%,” the advocate said. “Don’t travel by air,” the Bench observed. The advocate then said air travel is an essential service. “It’s a violation of Article 14.” Article 14 of the Constitution deals with equality before law. Airfares need to be ‘rationalised’, says Supreme Court Airfares need to be ‘rationalised’, says Supreme Court Centre, in an affidavit, informs top court that new aviation rules addressing predatory airfares are at an “advanced stage” of formulation Airfares need to be ‘rationalised’, says Supreme Court storyline 1 The Supreme Court is already hearing a separate petition filed by social activist S.
Laxminarayanan, who has sought a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector and regulatory guidelines to control “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India. During a hearing on that plea on October 16, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that administrative approval has been granted to rules under a 2024 legislation aimed at regulating India’s aviation sector, and is likely to be published in two weeks.
SC asks Centre to place on record new aviation rules to regulate volatile airfares SC asks Centre to place on record new aviation rules to regulate volatile airfares New regulations have been finalised, the government says, they are being translated into Hindi and other official languages before being tabled in Parliament SC asks Centre to place on record new aviation rules to regulate volatile airfares storyline 1 The Supreme Court had asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place the published rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, before the court on the next date of hearing — November 16.
On August 17, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it had fast-tracked the framing of rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, aimed at modernising India’s aviation sector. In November last year, the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and others on Mr. Laxminarayanan’s plea. Airfare surges during festivals ‘exploitative’, says Supreme Court Airfare surges during festivals ‘exploitative’, says Supreme Court The petition said that opaque airline practices, such as sudden fare escalations, reduced flight services, inadequate grievance redressal mechanisms, and algorithm-driven pricing, infringe upon citizens’ fundamental rights Airfare surges during festivals ‘exploitative’, says Supreme Court storyline 1 While hearing the matter in January, the Supreme Court had said it would interfere with the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfares and flagged the exorbitant rise during festivals.
It had termed the exorbitant hike of fares by airlines “exploitation” and asked the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to file their replies on the plea.
