The Supreme Court warned airlines to comply with regulations or be grounded. The Centre told the court it will finalise rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, within three weeks, following a PIL on high airfares and ancillary charges.
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has expedited the process of framing rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and expects to finalise them within three weeks.
SC Issues Stern Warning to Airlines
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta on Monday issued a stern warning to airlines to strictly adhere to regulatory requirements. "If airlines are not complying, ground them," warned the bench.
The government placed the draft rules before the bench in a sealed cover, saying some final discussions are going on. After examining the draft rules, the bench observed that while a regulatory mechanism had been proposed, it was not clear whether an effective regulator had been provided for. The apex court accepted the Centre's request for additional time and listed the matter for further hearing on September 7.
PIL Seeks Robust Passenger Protection
The apex court order was in a PIL filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan seeking a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector. The plea also sought regulatory guidelines to control the "unpredictable fluctuations" in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.
During the hearing of the case, petitioner's counsel questioned the "lack of willingness" on the part of authorities and the effectiveness of the existing mechanism. He contended that airlines are charging exorbitant fares. He also referred to a statement made by the Civil Aviation Minister in Parliament that the government could not impose a cap on airfares.
On July 13, the bench had directed the Centre to place on record the rules framed under the new aviation law, a legislation intended to modernise the country's civil aviation framework. It had asked the Centre to submit the rules before the court in a sealed cover, regardless of whether they had been laid before Parliament.
Allegations of Exploitation and Hidden Charges
The apex court had earlier termed the exorbitant rise in airfares by the airlines "exploitation", and sought response from the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the plea.
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 stated. The petition further claimed 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. (ANI)
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