The Centre has committed to fast-tracking the framing of rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 and promised to finalise the regulations within three weeks. According to reports from Business Standard, the government placed the draft rules before Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta in a sealed cover, with some final discussions still ongoing. Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik told the Supreme Court bench that the government has accelerated the rule-making process and requested three weeks to complete the finalised version. The government also informed the court that, pending finalisation of the rules, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) had been issuing office memoranda to airlines concerning pricing.
The Supreme Court bench has set a seven-day deadline for publication of the finalised rules and warned of consequences for non-compliance. As reported by Business Standard, the bench stated that if airlines are not complying with the new regulations, they should be grounded. "You publish this within seven days," the bench said, adding, "If airlines are not complying, ground them." The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 7 to monitor the rule finalisation process. Petitioners have alleged that airlines are disregarding the Centre's directions, prompting the court to direct immediate action against non-compliant carriers.
Social activist S Laxminarayanan's plea seeks a robust and independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector. According to Business Standard, the petitioner has specifically requested regulatory guidelines to control the "unpredictable fluctuations" in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines. The plea contends that current regulations lack the power to review or cap airfares or ancillary fees, allowing airlines to exploit consumers through hidden charges and unpredictable pricing. Senior advocate Ravindra Srivastava questioned the "lack of willingness" on the part of authorities and the effectiveness of the existing mechanism, arguing that airlines are charging exorbitant fares.
The petition highlights significant concerns about airline practices, including the reduction of free check-in baggage allowance from 25 kg to 15 kg for economy-class passengers. As reported by Business Standard, the plea claims this policy converts previously included services into new revenue streams. The petition also flags the absence of regulatory safeguards that result in arbitrary fare hikes, particularly during festivals or weather disruptions, which disproportionately harm the poor and last-minute travellers. The plea contends that "the new policy of permitting only a single piece for check-in and the absence of any rebate, compensation or benefit to passengers who do not avail themselves of check-in baggage demonstrates the arbitrary and discriminatory nature of the measure."
This case has been ongoing since November 17, 2025, when the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre regarding the plea. According to Business Standard, the court had previously flagged the exorbitant rise in airfares during festivals and termed such practices "exploitation." The new enactment of 2024 came into effect in January 2025, with corresponding rules currently being prepared. On May 15, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the new aviation law had come into force in January and the rules under it were being finalised. The Supreme Court has been examining airline pricing for several months, with the court describing excessive fare hikes as exploitation and seeking responses from the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
