Ground airlines if they don’t comply with airfare norms: Supreme Court to Centre
The plea was filed by social activist S Lakshmi Narayanan, who alleged that private airlines fixed fares randomly, especially during high demand periods such as festivals and holidays.
- Aug 18, 2026,
- Updated Aug 18, 2026 8:00 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to ground airlines if they do not comply with its orders on airfares in India. The court expressed concern over the unchecked rise in ticket prices during peak travel periods.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said stringent action could follow if private carriers failed to adhere to regulatory norms. The remarks came during the hearing of a plea challenging the alleged arbitrary fixing of fares by private airlines.
The Centre informed the court that the process of framing a regulatory mechanism for airfares was in its final stages. Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik stated that the exercise would be completed within three weeks and the final rules would be submitted to the court. The government also provided a draft of the proposed rules in a sealed cover. The court accepted the request for time and listed the matter for hearing on September 7.
The plea was filed by social activist S Lakshmi Narayanan, who alleged that private airlines fixed fares randomly, especially during high demand periods such as festivals and holidays. The petitioner claimed that airlines charged exorbitant fares and did not follow existing government office memorandums on pricing.
During the hearing, the Centre said that until the final rules were framed, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had been issuing office memorandums to airlines on pricing. However, the petitioner argued that airlines were not following any government directives.
The petitioner also referred to a statement by the Civil Aviation Minister in Parliament that the government could not impose a cap on airfares. In an earlier hearing in May, the Supreme Court had called for rationalisation of airfares and asked the Centre to provide relief to passengers. The court noted that airlines often charged significantly different fares for the same route on the same day, raising concerns over pricing inconsistency.
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The petitioner sought a dedicated regulatory mechanism to establish clear rules for fixing airfares and to ensure airline compliance.
In November, the Supreme Court had issued notices to the government, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India in the public interest litigation. The petitioner stated that unchecked and opaque airline practices, including abrupt fare increases, fewer services, inadequate grievance redress, and unfair algorithm-driven pricing, violated citizens' fundamental rights.
The plea argued that the government could not remain passive in the face of such violations. It said inaction in regulating airfare algorithms, cancellation policies, service continuity, and grievance mechanisms amounted to dereliction of constitutional duty. The petitioner also noted that air travel was the only quick and practical mode of transport for people in remote areas, and airlines were exploiting shortages and high demand.
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The case will be heard again on September 7, by which time the Centre has promised to complete the rule-making exercise and present the final rules to the court.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to ground airlines if they do not comply with its orders on airfares in India. The court expressed concern over the unchecked rise in ticket prices during peak travel periods.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said stringent action could follow if private carriers failed to adhere to regulatory norms. The remarks came during the hearing of a plea challenging the alleged arbitrary fixing of fares by private airlines.
The Centre informed the court that the process of framing a regulatory mechanism for airfares was in its final stages. Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik stated that the exercise would be completed within three weeks and the final rules would be submitted to the court. The government also provided a draft of the proposed rules in a sealed cover. The court accepted the request for time and listed the matter for hearing on September 7.
The plea was filed by social activist S Lakshmi Narayanan, who alleged that private airlines fixed fares randomly, especially during high demand periods such as festivals and holidays. The petitioner claimed that airlines charged exorbitant fares and did not follow existing government office memorandums on pricing.
During the hearing, the Centre said that until the final rules were framed, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had been issuing office memorandums to airlines on pricing. However, the petitioner argued that airlines were not following any government directives.
The petitioner also referred to a statement by the Civil Aviation Minister in Parliament that the government could not impose a cap on airfares. In an earlier hearing in May, the Supreme Court had called for rationalisation of airfares and asked the Centre to provide relief to passengers. The court noted that airlines often charged significantly different fares for the same route on the same day, raising concerns over pricing inconsistency.
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The petitioner sought a dedicated regulatory mechanism to establish clear rules for fixing airfares and to ensure airline compliance.
In November, the Supreme Court had issued notices to the government, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India in the public interest litigation. The petitioner stated that unchecked and opaque airline practices, including abrupt fare increases, fewer services, inadequate grievance redress, and unfair algorithm-driven pricing, violated citizens' fundamental rights.
The plea argued that the government could not remain passive in the face of such violations. It said inaction in regulating airfare algorithms, cancellation policies, service continuity, and grievance mechanisms amounted to dereliction of constitutional duty. The petitioner also noted that air travel was the only quick and practical mode of transport for people in remote areas, and airlines were exploiting shortages and high demand.
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The case will be heard again on September 7, by which time the Centre has promised to complete the rule-making exercise and present the final rules to the court.