Court declines PIL alleging exorbitant airfares to Gulf destinations

The order of the top court came on Wednesday on a PIL filed by the Kerala Pravasi Association challenging Rule-135 of the c, which authorises airlines to fix ticket prices.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has declined a plea alleging exorbitant air travel fares from Gulf destinations like Dubai to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

A bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra noted that the petition could be filed before the High Court instead of in the Supreme Court.

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The order of the top court came on Wednesday on a PIL filed by the Kerala Pravasi Association challenging Rule-135 of the c, which authorises airlines to fix ticket prices.

“Having regard to the nature of the cause of action in the present case, we are of the considered view that it would be appropriate for the petitioners to take recourse to the remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution of India,” the bench said in its order.

The bench disposed of the plea while granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the High Court.

The PIL also challenged one of the rules of the Indian Aviation Act which permits airlines to set ticket prices, and alleged it violated the citizens’ right to travel and resulted in exploitation of Indian travellers.

It further alleged the air fare to and from Gulf destinations to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram has been exorbitant.