India Supreme Court Warns Government to Ground Non-Compliant Airlines

The Supreme Court of India warned the central government to ground airlines that fail to comply with regulatory requirements during hearings on airfare exploitation. The court is reviewing a public interest litigation filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan, who alleges that airlines are disregarding government directions and using unpredictable fare fluctuations and reduced baggage allowances to exploit passengers.

In response, the Government of India informed the court that it has fast-tracked the framing of rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which took effect in January 2025. The government expects to finalize these regulations within three weeks to address surge pricing, airfares, and excess baggage charges. While the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued interim office memoranda to airlines, the court noted a lack of clarity regarding the establishment of an effective, independent regulator.

The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta characterized excessive price hikes as exploitation and suggested that if airlines do not comply with the upcoming rules, the government should "ground them." The matter is scheduled for a further hearing on September 7.