The drop in Bhutanese passengers was exacerbated by an advice to Bhutanese nationals not to board aircraft registered in Nepal. [break]
"We have suspended scheduled flights to Paro and are operating only scheduled charters following a significant drop in the number of Bhutanese passengers," said Rupesh Joshi, executive marketing manager of Buddha Air. Scheduled charters are flights that charge fares lower than chartered flights, but operate only after bookings like charters. The charters are usually booked by westerners.
In August last year, Buddha Air became the only foreign airline to operate flights to Bhutan. All other flights to and fro Paro, the only international airport in Bhutan, is operated by Bhutan´s national flag carrier, Druk Air.
Until a week ago, Buddha Air´s 18-seater Beech craft was operating four scheduled flights per week to Paro, located 52 kilometers away from Thimpu. Paro airport is believed to be among the most challenging airports in the world.
"Two weeks after the Tara Air crash, our General Sales Agent in Bhutan informed us that Bhutanese nationals had been advised not to board aircraft registered in Nepal," said Joshi. "We don´t know what agency or body issued such advice. But we held a press conference in Paro to assure Bhutanese nationals that our aircraft is safe. It didn´t work," Joshi added.
Until the Tara Air crash, Buddha air was seeing a surge in the number of Bhutanese passengers seeking to visit Nepal´s pilgrimage sites, especially because the airline was offering a special fare of US$ 75 to Bhutanese nationals, though the fare for other nationals was the same as that charged by Druk Air (US$ 180).
"We were seeing ten to twelve Bhutanese passengers flying to Kathmandu in every flight," Joshi said. "But that is no longer the case."
Buddha Air has been engaging the Beech craft in the domestic route after the suspension of scheduled flights to Paro.
The scheduled charters are irregular. In March and April, there can be as many as 16 scheduled charters a month, but during off season (January, February, May, June July) there may be as few as four flights a month.
Buddha Air currently operates scheduled flights to Lukhnow, India, and is set to operate scheduled flights to Benares, India, from July this year.
The Tara Air twin Ottter (9N-AFX DHC-6/300) crashed into Manedanda hill at 8,900 feet in Sirichaur-9 of Okhaldhunga district killing all on board, including 17 Bhutanese pilgrims who were on a pilgrimage to Haleshi Mahadev, known as Draphu Maratika among Buddhists.
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