August 17,2018:

On Friday, Civil Aviation Regulator submitted before Delhi HC that Airlines in India are not charging fares that are unlawful, discriminatory or exorbitant and the ticket prices change according to market forces.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) further submitted before HC Bench comprising of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao that under Aircraft Act it was not empowered to make “financial regulations” with regard to air fares.

Civil Aviation Regulator took the stand in an affidavit filed in response to a PIL seeking capping of air fares charged by airlines in the country.

Petition by Consumer Rights Activist Bejon K Misra has alleged that Authorities, including DGCA, were acting as “silent spectators” to the “arbitrary” fixing of fares by the airlines.

While denying allegation, DGCA stated in its affidavit that “change in air fares was dynamic”.

It stated that,“Fare increase with increase in demand for seats on any given flight and as a flight’s available seat inventory diminishes, lower bucket fares consequently may no longer be available.

The Regulator stated that,“It is denied that air fares charged by the airlines are unlawful and discriminatory and that the respondents (DGCA and the Centre) have shirked their responsibility”.

Regulator explained how the fares are calculated, DGCA in its affidavit said that airlines adopt a dynamic pricing mechanism in which prices are changed often depending on the day of a week, time of day, numbers of days before the flight and other factors like number of seats and departure time.

High Court Bench took the affidavit, filed by Advocate Anjana Gosain, on record and listed the matter for further hearing on October 9.

Source HT

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