The Supreme Court's stern warning that airlines failing to comply with regulatory requirements could face consequences as serious as grounding therefore deserves attention. The Centre is working on new aviation rules, providing an opportunity to correct a persistent imbalance between carriers and customers. Airlines operate in a difficult industry shaped by fuel prices, airport charges, currency fluctuations and intense competition, and regulation must recognise these realities. But commercial pressures cannot justify opaque pricing, unreasonable cancellation practices, delayed refunds or inadequate assistance when flights are disrupted. A rapidly expanding aviation market needs an equally mature framework of passenger rights.

The answer, however, is not excessive government interference in airline pricing. Dynamic fares are a legitimate feature of aviation: prices rise and fall according to demand, capacity, season and proximity to departure. Artificial fare caps could discourage airlines from adding capacity and eventually hurt passengers themselves. Regulation should instead concentrate on transparency and accountability. Travellers should know the complete price of a journey before making payment, with optional services clearly distinguished from unavoidable charges. When flights are cancelled or significantly delayed, compensation and assistance should follow clear rules rather than depend on a passenger's ability to pursue an airline through call centres and emails. Refunds should be automatic within prescribed timelines. Grievance mechanisms must also become simpler. Consumer rights lose their meaning when enforcing them requires weeks of correspondence or litigation. Airlines that repeatedly violate these obligations should face financial penalties substantial enough to discourage non-compliance.

The new rules should therefore establish a passenger-first regulatory culture without undermining the commercial viability of aviation. Grounding an airline should remain an extraordinary sanction reserved for persistent or serious violations; proportional enforcement through compensation, fines and regulatory restrictions should ordinarily come first. More importantly, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation must be equipped to enforce standards proactively instead of expecting passengers to fight individual battles. India is on course to become one of the world's largest aviation markets, and policy understandably focuses on new airports, aircraft orders and regional connectivity. But infrastructure alone does not create a world-class aviation system. Its real test comes when a flight is cancelled, baggage is lost or money must be refunded. Passengers should know exactly what they are entitled to - and receive it without having to beg for it.