The Union government has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging volatile airfares and airline charges, stating that a comprehensive statutory rule-making exercise is already underway.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) maintained that the broader issues raised in the petition, including surge pricing during festivals and holidays, baggage charges, and algorithm-driven fare fluctuations, are under active consideration as part of the framing of new aviation rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam (BVA), 2024.
The Centre further indicated that the pending PIL should now be treated merely as “representation or suggestions” to the draft rules and disposed of, contending that any grievance against the eventual rules could constitute a fresh cause of action.
The affidavit comes in response to the court’s repeated concern over steep and unpredictable airfare spikes, particularly during festival seasons, emergencies, and major events such as the Kumbh Mela.
The government pointed out that the enactment of the BVA had triggered a transition away from the nearly century-old Aircraft Act framework, necessitating an overhaul of subordinate aviation regulations.
The Centre stressed that the exercise involved multiple layers of statutory scrutiny, including parliamentary oversight under Section 35 of the 2024 law, which requires the proposed rules to be laid before both Houses of Parliament for 30 days.
