'Airfares During Kumbh Were Exploitative, We Will Interfere': Supreme Court Flags Surge In Air Ticket Prices During Festivals

The Supreme Court yesterday expressed a concern about rampant surges in air ticket prices during festivals and high-demand situations.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was dealing with a PIL filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan seeking regulatory control over airfare practices and ancillary charges in India's civil aviation sector. The petition challenges algorithm-driven dynamic pricing, day-of-travel surcharges, and the reduction of complimentary check-in baggage allowance from 25 kg to 15 kg.

Pointing to exorbitant airfares during festivals, etc., the Court indicated that it would intervene and pass necessary orders.

"We will interfere. Look at the exploitation you did in Kumbh... you take out statistics of these 2 towns - Prayagraj and Jodhpur...the flight fares are 3 times the flight fare for [...]", said Justice Mehta to Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik.

"Not only Kumbh, but every festival", added Justice Nath. In a lighter vein, Justice Mehta also stated that Solicitor General (present in Court for another matter) ensures the flight fares are not high in Ahmedabad. "But he doesn't take care of our [problem]..." the judge said in jest.

To recap, the plea asserts that ticket prices can double or triple within hours due to algorithm-driven dynamic pricing, citing fare spikes during the Maha Kumbh pilgrimage and after the Pahalgam terror incident. It states that such volatility affects passengers who lack the ability to plan in advance. It says that in circumstances like medical emergencies, natural calamities or urgent family crises, citizens are left with no choice but to fly.

“When airlines are allowed to increase fares multiple-fold at short notice, it effectively denies economically weaker and vulnerable passengers their right to safe and timely mobility. Such arbitrary and opaque pricing mechanisms unchecked by any binding, regulation violate the fundamental right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution”, the plea states.

The petition highlights that air travel has become an essential mode of transport due to the country's geography and the unavailability or impracticality of rail and road travel in emergencies and in regions such as the Northeast, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and high-altitude areas.

It states that air transport is classified as an essential service under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1981 and submits that the State has a positive obligation to ensure that essential services remain affordable and non-exploitative.

The petition points out that, unlike fare-regulated sectors such as railways, electricity and postal services, airlines can revise fares multiple times in a single day without approval or transparency.

The plea relies on media reports to show sudden fare increases during events such as the Maha Kumbh 2025 and after the Pahalgam terror incident, where prices reportedly rose several times within hours. It also refers to incidents of alleged overcharging for excess baggage and states that there is inadequate accountability for baggage disputes and ancillary fees.

Case Title: S. LAXMINARAYANAN Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS., W.P.(C) No. 1124/2025