Sri Vijaya Puram, October 28: The Centre’s move to finalise new rules governing airline fares has renewed attention on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where expensive air tickets and reduced flight availability have placed a growing burden on residents, patients, students, businesses and the tourism sector.
The Union Government informed the Supreme Court on October 16 that the rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, had been finalised and received administrative approval. The government said they would be published within two weeks. The next hearing in a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning airfare regulation is scheduled for November 16, when the court is expected to examine the regulatory framework.
For the islands, the proceedings could have particular significance. Unlike mainland cities with extensive rail and road networks, Andaman and Nicobar depends heavily on air connectivity for timely access to specialised medical treatment, higher education, employment and other essential services. While passenger ships connect Sri Vijaya Puram with mainland ports, the journey takes several days, making air travel critical when time is a constraint.
The Supreme Court proceedings stem from a PIL filed in 2025 by activist S. Laxminarayanan, challenging what the petitioner described as arbitrary and excessive airfare increases, particularly during festivals, holidays and periods of high demand. The court has raised concerns over steep fare increases and the need for a mechanism to ensure fairer and more transparent pricing.
The proposed rules are expected to bring greater clarity to airfare regulation, including the monitoring of potentially excessive pricing and passenger protection. The precise provisions and their implementation will become clearer once the rules are officially published.
The case gained momentum through a series of hearings during 2026. The court expressed concern over substantial fare increases during periods of high demand and sought details of the government’s proposed regulatory framework. In August, the government submitted a draft of the proposed rules in a sealed cover. The latest submission marks a step towards bringing the framework before the court for examination.
At present, airlines generally determine fares according to demand, seat availability, operating expenses and other commercial factors. The challenge for regulators is to prevent unjustified price escalation without undermining competition or ignoring genuine changes in operating costs.
For Andaman and Nicobar, however, the issue extends beyond seasonal tourism.
Airfares from Sri Vijaya Puram to mainland destinations have, during certain travel periods, reached levels that place considerable pressure on household budgets. One-way tickets to Chennai and Kolkata have been reported at around ₹19,000–₹25,000 on some occasions, while fares to Delhi have reached as high as ₹40,000. These are fares observed during particular periods and do not represent fixed prices across all dates.
Flight availability has also emerged as a concern. Figures shared by industry representatives indicated that weekly flights to and from Veer Savarkar International Airport had declined from approximately 62 in July 2025 and 72 in August 2025 to around 36 during the corresponding periods in 2026. These figures could not be independently verified. Representatives from tourism, hospitality, transport, fisheries and business associations have raised concerns that fewer flights and expensive tickets are affecting visitor arrivals and commercial activity.
Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray has also sought intervention from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to address the islands’ connectivity concerns. Calls for action have included additional flights, affordable fares and measures to protect residents who must travel to the mainland for essential reasons.
The proposed national rules could provide a framework for addressing some of these concerns, but their impact on island routes will depend on the final provisions and their enforcement. A fare-monitoring mechanism alone may not resolve the problem if the number of available seats remains limited during peak periods.
For residents requiring urgent medical treatment outside the islands, students travelling for examinations or admissions, and families responding to emergencies, an unaffordable ticket can mean postponing a journey that cannot easily be avoided.
The central question for Andaman and Nicobar is therefore whether airfare regulation will be accompanied by measures to improve seat availability and ensure reliable connectivity throughout the year.
With the Supreme Court scheduled to take up the matter on November 16, attention will turn to the published rules and whether they establish meaningful safeguards against excessive fares. For the islands, the outcome could shape an important part of the continuing debate over affordable and dependable mainland connectivity.
