India says new airfare rules approved, to be published within two weeks
India's government informed the Supreme Court on Friday that new rules to curb volatile airfares are approved and will be published within two weeks, The Hindu and the Financial Express reported. The court wants them by Nov. 16. Fares won't be capped, but airlines must file fare ranges, the Times of India reported.
India's government informed the Supreme Court on Friday that new rules to curb volatile airfares and predatory pricing have received administrative approval and will likely be published within two weeks, The Hindu, the Times of India and the Financial Express reported. "The rules have been finalised and administrative approval has been granted. The same would be published within two weeks," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, according to The Hindu.
A three-judge bench asked the government to place the final rules before the court by Nov. 16, The Hindu and the Financial Express reported. The case is a public interest petition seeking binding rules to curb arbitrary fares and extra charges by private airlines during festivals, holidays and emergencies, The Hindu reported. The petitioner's lawyer pointed to steep fares ahead of Diwali this year, The Hindu reported.
The rules will not cap fares, the Times of India reported, citing people familiar with the plans. Airlines will have to base fares on their operating costs and periodically file fare ranges for each route with the aviation regulator, the DGCA, and will not be allowed to charge more than the top fare they file, according to the Times of India. The government will keep the power to step in during "exceptional and extra ordinary" situations such as natural disasters, the paper reported.
Earlier, the court pointed to one airline charging 8,000 rupees and another 18,000 rupees for economy seats on the same route on the same day, The Hindu reported. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said Oct. 15 that swings in jet fuel prices are making it hard to keep fares affordable, the Financial Express reported. Indian airlines are under severe cost stress, the Times of India reported.
The rules are being framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934, and took effect in January 2025, the Financial Express reported.
What we know: The government says the airfare rules are approved and should be published within two weeks, and the court wants them by Nov. 16.
What we don't: The final text of the rules and when they will take effect.
Where outlets agree The Hindu, the Times of India and the Financial Express report that the government said the airfare rules are approved and will be published within two weeks.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.