AOAN raises fuel surcharge citing steep rise in ATF price
KATHMANDU, Nov 10: Citing steep rise in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), domestic airlines on Monday increased fuel surcharge levied on airfare by around 40 percent.
The meeting of Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) decided to increase fuel surcharge by a minimum of Rs 1,295 and a maximum of Rs 4,755, depending on routes. The association took the decision after Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) increased price of ATF to Rs 232.78 per liter from Rs 118 per liter.
Travelers will have to pay Rs 9,155 for Biratnagar, Rs 8,060 for Bhairahawa, Rs 10,780 for Bhadrapur, Rs 16,095 for Dhangadi, Rs 11,890 for Nepalgunj and Rs 5,605 for Janakpur. Similarly, flight to Pokhara, Simara, Tumlingtar and Bharatpur costs Rs 6,490, Rs 4,095, Rs 7,750 and Rs 4,910, respectively. Airlines will charge Rs 14,035 per passenger for mountain flight.
Airfare of domestic flights reduced
According to AOAN, travelers will need to pay Rs 5,680 for flight to Lukla, Rs 5,080 for Phaplu, Rs 4,310 for Rumjatar, Rs 4,770 for Lamidanda, Rs 6,870 for Khanidanda, Rs 7,035 for Bhojpur and Rs 9,170 for Taplejung.
“This is just a temporary hike. The price of ATF will come down after supply returns to normalcy,” Pradeep Kumar Yadav, aviation fuel in-charge of NOC, told Republica. “The increment is only for Kathmandu airport. We have not increase price of ATF distributed in airports in Dhangadi, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa and Pokhara.”
However, AOAN officials said they would increase fuel surcharge for both ways as they have not been able to get ATF in airports except Dhangadhi.
Rupesh Joshi, treasurer of AOAN, said that they decided to increase fuel surcharge for return flights also as NOC is not providing them ATF in other airports except Dhangadhi. “If we get ATF from other airports, we will reduce surcharge on return flights accordingly,” he added.
Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), however, will not increase fuel surcharge on Tuesday. Saroj Kasaju, commercial director of NAC, said they would increase fuel surcharge from Wednesday after holding a meeting on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, airline operators said the decision will lead to drastic decline in number of air passengers. “Airfare hike will make significant impact on number of air passengers. More people would prefer to travel by land although it is time consuming,” Bhim Raj Rai, media manager of Yeti Airlines, said.
