Domestic airlines to operate additional flights

KATHMANDU, Oct 18: Domestic airlines have added additional flights for Biratnagar, Bhadrapur and Tumlingtar after tickets for these sectors were sold out almost a month before the beginning of the Dashain festival.



According to the operators, although the sales for Dashain was normal this year, there was lot of pressure in Eastern cities like Biratnagar and Bhadrapur. [break]However, till last year it was not possible to purchase tickets without a week long advance booking for almost all the sectors. Operators have contributed increased number of flights and smooth surface transport facilities as the major reason for less pressure.



Ankur Rana, sales and marketing manager of Yeti Airlines, said the airlines was operating additional flights to Biratnagar and Tumglingtar. “We are operating additional flights on October 19 and 20 for Kathmandu-Biratnagar-Kathmandu sector,” he said. Likewise, the airlines is operating additional flights to Tumlingtar between October 19 and 21. The airlines was offering only 30 seats a day on this route and after the increased flight, the seat number will be 60.



“Apart from these two segments the pressure is also on Bhadrapur as all the tickets have been sold out,” he added the airlines was planning to add flights on this sector as per the requirement.



Buddha Air has already started the additional flights to Bhadrapur and Biratnagar. The airlines started additional flights starting from October 15 and it will last till October 24. Parashar Jung Pandey, sales and marketing manager of the airlines said the Buddha was increasing the number of flights to eight a day to Biratnagar.



During normal schedule Buddha Air operates six flights a day to this destination. Likewise, the airlines was adding one moe flight to Bhadapur where it was operating two flights a day.



Rana of Yeti Airlines said that the passenger will have to payup to 50 percent more than the normal fare in case of additional flights. “We will have to charge extra as the flights will return empty as the pressure is only for the flights going outside the capital,” he said.



Although the airlines are providing normal fare to all the destinations from Kathmandu, the operators have also offered special rate for returning flights in some sectors.



Buddha Air is offering the special fare of Rs 2,500 for Kathmandu-Bhadrapur and Rs 1,900 for Kathmandu-Biratnagar sector. Similarly, Yeti Airlines is offering Rs 1,700 for Kathmandu- Biratnagar, Rs 2,700 for Kathmandu-Bhadrapur and Rs 1,500 for Kathmandu- Janakpur.

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