KATHMANDU, May 20: Himalaya Airlines has claimed that it has not charged excessive fares to Indian passengers headed for Saudi Arabia.  

At the special request of the Indian Embassy, ​​the Government of Nepal has decided that Nepal Airlines will operate a total of seven flights and Himalayan Airlines will operate a total of three flights to take ‘some’ Indian passengers to Saudi Arabia from Nepal. 

Issuing a statement, the airline said that the false, misleading and fictional news, mentioning the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, and even the Himalayan Airlines has concerned the company. “Since these flights have to carry one-way passengers, that is, the aircraft has to be brought back empty, it is natural that the fares will be proportionally higher than the regular flights.”

The airline said if anyone submits evidence of agencies charging unduly excessive fees to a passenger, it will recommend to the relevant regulatory body for necessary action.

“We want to reinform the public that the airline industry's global ticket distribution system (Global Distribution System) will be very convenient for passengers and the arrangement that any local travel agency registered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) can sell tickets and passengers can buy tickets with a travel agency that best suit them,” the statement read, adding that selling of tickets through the system was mandatory as there is a high risk of transmission of COVID if the tickets are sold from only one place.  

The company further said that all the tickets have been sold through the global ticket distribution system which is accessible to all the agencies and all the fares are also accessible to all the agencies through this system.

“The system is completely transparent and competitive between agencies, from which passengers can benefit from the quality of service and service charges,” the company said.

 
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