PIL filed in High Court to Cap Airfares!

The Delhi High Court has asked the Ministry Of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to look into the high airfares charged by Airlines in India.

Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar have issued a notice to the ministry and DGCA, based on a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) asking airlines in India to cap airfares charged to the passengers.

Here are the details of the Case –

• Consumer rights activist, Bejon K Misra, has alleged that authorities are acting as ‘Silent Spectators’ to the random or ‘arbitrary’ fixing of airfares by the airlines.
• He has claimed that airlines charge 10 times higher than the fixed price when there is a shortage of seats.
• To stop this practice he has asked the airlines to put a cap on the airfare.
• The court has asked authorities for a response before the next date of hearing on 8^th

To support his case, Mr. Misra has given the example of a recent incident, where Indigo passengers had to book last minute tickets at High rates on other airlines, after several Indigo A320 Neo airplanes were grounded due to engine trouble.

He has also said that it is necessary to put a cap on airfares to ensure greater transparency for the passengers and accountability on part of the airline. Capping on airfares will also discourage airlines and other stakeholders to benefit and make profits from unfair means.