New Delhi: Questioning the unchecked rise in airfares during peak travel periods, the Supreme Court, on Monday, indicated that airlines could face stringent action if they fail to comply with regulatory norms.
The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta observed that if airlines were not complying with the rules, their flights could be stopped. It was hearing a plea challenging the alleged arbitrary fixing of airfares by private airlines, by social activist S Lakshmi Narayanan, as reported by India Today.
He claimed that private airlines were fixing fares randomly, particularly during periods of high demand.
The Centre informed that the process of framing a regulatory mechanism for air fares was in its final stages, prompting the Court’s remark.
The government would complete the exercise within three weeks and place the final rules before the court, additional solicitor general Anil Kaushik told the bench.
A draft of the proposed rules was also handed over the to the court by the Centre in a sealed cover.
Airlines were charging passengers exorbitant fares during festivals and holidays and alleged that even the government’s existing official memorandum was not being followed, the petitioner submitted.
He also referred to a statement made by the civil aviation minister in Parliament that the government could not impose a cap on airfares.
The Supreme Court had, during a hearing in May, had observed that there should be some rationalisation of airfares and asked the Centre to provide relief to passengers.
Airlines often charge significantly different fares for the same route on the same day, raising concerns over the lack of pricing consistency, it had noted.
The plea has also sought a dedicated regulatory mechanism to lay down clear rules for fixing airfares and ensure compliance by airlines.
The Court accepted the Centre’s plea for three weeks to complete the rule-making process. The matter will next be heard on September 7.
