Festival flights turn costly! Supreme Court refuses urgent hearing, says 'Don't travel by air'

Court shocker

"Don't travel by air. Next case." That's how Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath responded when an advocate sought an urgent hearing over soaring domestic flight fares ahead of Diwali, Bhai Dooj and Chhath Puja. The petitioner alleged that ticket prices had surged by as much as 700%, making festival travel unaffordable for many families. However, the three-judge bench declined to advance the hearing, leaving the larger dispute over airline pricing unresolved.

Fare nightmare

Imagine paying nearly Rs 79,000 for a domestic flight that normally costs around Rs 11,700! That's the price difference highlighted in a petition before the Supreme Court. The petitioner cited a Delhi-Kolkata airfare of Rs 78,694 against an average of Rs 11,699, a difference of nearly 573%. Calling such pricing exploitative, the plea questioned why demand-driven fares should rise so sharply when thousands of passengers are desperate to reach home for festivals.

Festival trap

For families travelling home during Diwali and Chhath, booking a flight can become an expensive last resort. The petitioner argued that confirmed train tickets often sell out weeks in advance, leaving passengers with limited alternatives. The plea also questioned why airlines charge dramatically different fares for flights on the same route and day, despite similar fuel requirements. But can airlines' dynamic pricing practices justify such steep increases during peak travel periods?

November suspense

The battle over soaring airfares is far from over. The Supreme Court has scheduled the larger public interest litigation for November 16, after the petitioner unsuccessfully sought an earlier hearing ahead of the festivals. The case seeks regulation of domestic airfares and additional airline charges. Meanwhile, the Centre has notified new aviation rules that are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, retaining powers to intervene in airfare pricing under extraordinary circumstances.