Politics · India · 6 hrs ago
Supreme Court declines urgent plea over Diwali airfares
India’s Supreme Court declined to urgently hear a plea over Diwali airfares on Monday.
The petitioner alleged that domestic fares had risen by nearly 700% during the festival period.
The advocate argued that the increase violated Article 14, which guarantees equality before the law, and said air travel is an essential service.
The Bench responded, “Don’t travel by air.”
A separate case is already seeking rules to curb unpredictable fares and protect passengers across India’s aviation sector.
The Centre has said rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, are being prepared.
The court has asked to see the published rules at its next hearing on November 16.
The Supreme Court on November 2 refused an urgent hearing of a plea seeking action over a sharp rise in domestic airfares ahead of Diwali.
The petitioner’s advocate alleged that airfares had risen by 700% and said this violated Article 14 of the Constitution.
The Bench told the petitioner, “Don’t travel by air.”
A separate case on airfare regulation is already pending before the Supreme Court.
The Centre has said rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, are expected to be published in two weeks.
- Who
- The Supreme Court and an advocate representing the petitioner.
- What
- The Court refused urgent listing of a plea seeking a mechanism to cap domestic airfares during festival periods.
- When
- November 2, 2026.
- Where
- The Supreme Court in New Delhi.
- Why
- The Court declined to list the plea urgently; a reason for the refusal was not stated.
The petitioner
The Supreme Court
Urgent hearing
The petitioner
The petitioner sought urgent listing of the plea over the alleged airfare rise.
The Supreme Court
The Court refused urgent listing.
Airfare rise
The petitioner
The petitioner’s advocate said the increase violated Article 14 and that air travel was an essential service.
The Supreme Court
The Bench told the petitioner, “Don’t travel by air.
The Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and others on a separate plea about airfare regulation.
The Supreme Court said it would interfere with unpredictable fluctuations in airfares and flagged festival fare rises.
The Centre told the Court that administrative approval had been granted to rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and that they were likely to be published in two weeks.
The Supreme Court refused urgent listing of the plea over the alleged Diwali-season airfare rise.
The Court set this as the next hearing date for the separate petition and asked the Solicitor General to place the published rules before it.
- Alleged airfare rise
- 700%
- Date of urgent plea
- November 2, 2026
- Legislation
- Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024
- Next hearing on separate plea
- November 16, 2026
3 sources
What people are saying
Don’t travel by air
The aviation fare has increased by 700%