Supreme Court Pushes for Airfare Regulation to Protect Flyers
The Supreme Court has called for rationalization of airfares, urging the government to provide relief amid discrepancies in airline pricing. Highlighted was the variation in ticket costs among airlines on the same routes. The court hears the plea for strict regulation to control sudden airfare hikes and ancillary charges.
- Country:
- India
The Supreme Court has urged the Indian government to rationalize airfares due to significant discrepancies in ticket pricing across airlines. Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta stressed the need for regulated fare structures, citing instances where pricing ranged dramatically for the same sector flights.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta acknowledged these issues, stating the government is treating the problem as non-adversarial and working on new regulations under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam of 2024. However, the formulation of these rules is still under consultation.
The court was responding to a plea that criticizes current practices as exploitative, demanding a robust regulatory mechanism to protect passengers from arbitrary fare hikes and ancillary fees, which are infringing on fundamental rights. The matter is set for further hearing on July 13.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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