{
  "id": 17785619,
  "title": "Don't travel by air, says Supreme Court; refuses urgent listing of plea alleging 700% hike in airfares",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/dont-travel-by-air-says-supreme-court-refuses-urgent-listing-of-plea",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T11:16:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dont-travel-by-air-says-supreme-court-refuses-urgent-listing-of-plea-alleging-700-hike-in-airfares/article71656239.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New Delhi - The Supreme Court has warned passengers against air travel, refusing urgent listing of a plea alleging an astronomical 700% increase in airfares. The court is set to receive new aviation rules aimed at regulating volatile airfares within two weeks.\n\nThe plea, filed by social activist S. Laxminarayan, seeks binding regulatory norms to curb arbitrary airfare pricing and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines during festive periods, holidays, and emergencies. The court was hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) petition that highlighted the exploitation of passengers through exorbitant fare hikes during festivals.\n\nA bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and Aparesh Kumar Singh observed, \"Don't travel by air,\" in response to the skyrocketing airfares. The advocate argued that air travel is an essential service, but the Supreme Court emphasized the need to rationalize airfares in compliance with Article 14 of the Constitution, which deals with equality before the law.\n\nThe Centre informed the court that new aviation rules addressing predatory airfares are nearing completion. The Supreme Court is also hearing a separate petition seeking a robust and independent regulator for the civil aviation sector, along with guidelines to control unpredictable fluctuations in airfare and ancillary charges.",
  "summary": "Centre says aviation rules under Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam being fast-tracked to curb volatility and ensure passenger protection",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Union Bank account not mandatory to receive accident compensation: MP High Court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/union-bank-account-not-mandatory-to-receive-accident-compensation-mp",
        "published": "2026-11-02T08:00:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Supreme Court allows bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi on November 7-8; restores ban thereafter",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/supreme-court-allows-bursting-of-green-firecrackers-in-delhi-on",
        "published": "2026-11-02T09:43:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Kumasi High Court and other lower courts closed as JUSAG strike leaves litigants stranded",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/kumasi-high-court-and-other-lower-courts-closed-as-jusag-strike",
        "published": "2026-11-02T10:04:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}