Supreme Court seeks action on airline fare hikes; Centre says rules are ready

NEW DELHI: Following the Supreme Court's intervention, the Central government has informed the court that it will implement a law introduced one-and-a-half years ago to strengthen aviation safety and curb excessive airline ticket prices.

The move is expected to bring relief to Malayali expatriates, who have long complained about steep airfare hikes during peak travel seasons.

On January 20, the Supreme Court had warned that it would issue directions to stop the alleged overcharging if the Centre failed to act.

Although Parliament had passed a law giving the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) greater powers to regulate airlines, the government had not implemented it.

The Centre informed the court that the rules under the law have now been finalised and will be placed before Parliament during the Monsoon Session from July 20 to August 13.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed the Centre to submit a sealed copy of the rules to the court within two weeks, irrespective of whether they are tabled in Parliament. The matter has been posted for hearing on August 3.

The directions came while hearing a petition filed by social activist S. Lakshmi Narayanan, seeking stronger regulation of airlines. The Centre has not yet made the contents of the rules public. The rules relate to the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which came into force on January 1, 2025.

Airfares soar during peak travel season

Malayali expatriates have frequently complained about sharp increases in airfares during holiday seasons. After schools in Gulf countries closed for the summer in June, ticket prices on several routes increased by nearly four times. A Dubai-Kochi ticket that usually costs between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 is now priced at more than Rs 40,000. For a family of four, the cost of travelling home to Kerala can now reach around Rs 2 lakh.

Airlines have also cited the ongoing conflict in West Asia as a reason for the fare hike, saying that changes in flight routes and longer travel times have increased operating costs.

Airfare comparison
Route.............................................................................Normal fare................Peak fare
UAE (Dubai/Sharjah/Abu Dhabi) - Kerala......................Rs 10,000–15,000.......Rs 40,000–46,000
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh/Jeddah/Dammam) - Kerala.........Rs 15,000–20,000.......Rs 36,000–44,000
Qatar (Doha) – Kerala....................................................Rs 13,000–16,000.......Rs 35,000–42,000
Oman (Muscat) – Kerala................................................Rs 11,000–14,000.......Rs 32,000–38,000

(Airfares have eased slightly over the past week. At one point, fares from Dubai had crossed Rs 50,000.)