Aircraft Rules, 1937

The dispute concerned seniority of Air India co‑pilots: whether it should be based on the date a pilot obtained an Air Lines Transport Pilot (ALTP) licence or on the date of entry as a co‑pilot with only a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). The ‘Adhikari group’ (ex‑IAF/Navy pilots with ALTP) challenged Clause 7(C) of a 19…

The appellant, a ground handling service provider, had been granted a five‑year security clearance in 2007 but it was withdrawn in 2008 on grounds of national security. The appellant challenged the withdrawal, seeking a post‑decisional hearing and disclosure of the material relied upon, but the High Court set aside the…

The State of Jharkhand filed an FIR alleging that Dr. Nishkant Dubey and others forcibly entered the Air Traffic Control (ATC) room at Deoghar Airport, exerted pressure on officials, and caused an unsafe take‑off, invoking Sections 336, 447 and 448 of the IPC and Sections 10 and 11A of the Aircraft Act. The High Court …

The Central GST Delhi‑III (the revenue) appealed against Delhi International Airport Ltd., contending that the User Development Fee (UDF) collected from passengers under Section 22A of the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994, was a taxable service liable to service tax. The Court examined the nature of the fee, the s…

Jeeja Ghosh, a person with cerebral palsy, was forcibly de‑boarded from a SpiceJet flight on 19 February 2012 despite having requested assistance only for her baggage. She alleged that the airline’s action violated the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, the Aircraft Rules, 1937, Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) 2008…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL) challenging tariff determinations made by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) under the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008. The key disputes involved t…

The appellant insurer denied a claim for the death of a passenger who was on a motorised glider sightseeing flight, arguing that the glider was not a standard aircraft and the passenger was not a fare‑paying traveller in a regular airline or charter. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held that the gli…

The petitioners, employees of Indian Airlines, challenged Regulation 13(b) which obliges a six‑month written notice before resignation, and a DGCA circular requiring a No‑Objection Certificate before an air‑taxi operator can employ such employees. They claimed the provisions violated Articles 14, 16, 19(1)(g), 21 and 2…

The Supreme Court examined a claim by a passenger against Indigo Airlines for compensation due to a prolonged flight delay, alleged deficiency in service, and alleged illegal detention at Hyderabad airport. The Court held that the Permanent Lok Adalat in Hyderabad had jurisdiction to entertain the dispute despite the a…

The Joint Action Committees of the Airlines Pilots Association of India challenged a circular issued by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that kept the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) 2007 in abeyance and revived Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 28/92. The appellants argued that the DGCA lacked aut…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of public interest writ petitions filed by passenger groups, travel agents and others seeking full refunds of air‑fares for tickets cancelled due to the COVID‑19 lockdown and the ban on domestic and international flights. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had issued an Office Memorandum on …