Supreme Court to Hear Airfare Regulation Plea on Jul 13

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for July 13 on a petition seeking guidelines to curb wild swings in airline fares. The plea targets both unpredictable price fluctuations and ancillary fees charged by private carriers.

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud’s bench had earlier flagged steep fare hikes during festival seasons as “exploitative.” The court now faces a demand for a formal regulatory framework, including fare bands and mandatory disclosure of add-on charges.

The petition arrives as a new aviation act is set to take effect, with draft rules still under public consultation. The current legal framework gives airlines wide pricing freedom, which the petitioner argues leaves passengers exposed to last-minute surges and hidden costs.

A regulator, the plea contends, would enforce transparency and prevent carriers from exploiting peak-demand periods without capping revenue.