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Centre seeks to fast-track airfare pricing rules, asks Supreme Court to treat PIL as suggestions
The Centre urged the Supreme Court to refrain from continuing monitoring of a PIL challenging volatile airfare pricing, claiming a comprehensive rule-making exercise is underway and should be fast-tracked. It proposed treating the PIL as representations to the draft rules, with final rules constituting a separate cause of action if the petitioner is aggrieved. The affidavit discusses the transition from the Aircraft Act to new regulations under the 2024 law and underscores ongoing draft-rule finalization and statutory scrutiny.
Why It Matters
If accepted, the fast-tracking could shape future airfare pricing norms, cap surge pricing, regulate ancillary charges, and influence the regulatory framework governing aviation consumer protection.
Timeline
5 Events
May 12, 2026—Centre seeks to fast-track rules; PIL treated as suggestions
May 12, 2026
The government submitted an affidavit arguing that the PIL should be treated as representation or suggestions to the draft rules, contending that final rules would create a separate cause of action if the petitioner is aggrieved. It stated that the ministry of civil aviation and DGCA are in advanced stages of finalising draft rules to replace the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and highlighted Section 35 of the 2024 law requiring the rules to be laid before Parliament for 30 days. The Centre asserted a fast-track approach due to the emerging scenario and defended deregulated pricing with safeguards, noting past interventions during the pandemic, Mahakumbh, and other regional disruptions.
May 11, 2026—PIL listed before bench but adjourned
May 11, 2026
The matter was listed before the Supreme Court bench on Monday but was adjourned without any substantive hearing, as reported in the May 12 article.
April 30, 2026—Court reprimand over adjournments
April 30, 2026
The bench pulled up the Centre for repeatedly seeking adjournments instead of clarifying whether it intended to evolve a mechanism to regulate airfare spikes.
February 2026 hearing before Supreme Court
February 2026
In February 2026, the bench termed the airfare pricing issue a 'very serious concern' and noted that substantial public interest was involved in the matter.
January 2026 hearing before Supreme Court
January 2026
During January 2026 hearings on the PIL challenging airfare pricing, the Supreme Court bench commented on exploitation during the Kumbh and other festivals and hinted at the seriousness of the issue.