Parliamentary Committee directs for shielding air passengers from exorbitant fares

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29: Due to floods and landslides disrupting road networks, the number of passengers opting for air travel has surged, leading airlines to increase ticket prices arbitrarily. Continuous rainfall since Thursday has caused  the calamities in various parts of the country, cutting off road access. According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, 64 spots on 41 highways across the country are currently blocked.

In order to take advantage of this dire situation, airlines are halting the sale of lower-priced tickets and charging high fares during this crisis.

For instance, the one-way fare from Kathmandu to Biratnagar, previously priced at NPR 7,500, has now increased to NPR 9,900. Similarly, the one-way fare from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi has been set as high as NPR 17,000.

Following complaints about arbitrary fare hikes, the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee in the parliaent has instructed the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation to control the irrational increase in airfares.

Committee Chairperson Ramhari Khatiwada urged the Ministry today to regulate and facilitate airfare rates, given that road transportation has been disrupted in various parts of the country due to floods and landslides.

“In this severe and adverse situation, when air travel is the only alternative for transportation, airlines operating domestic flights have significantly increased fares at their own discretion, greatly affecting ordinary citizens,” the directive stated. “Therefore, I instruct the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation to take necessary actions to regulate airfares.”

Interestingly,  the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN)  as well as the private airline operators are flatly denying that air passengers are now being illicitly duped. 

 Gyandendra Bhul, spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), stated that the increase in airfare might be due to higher demand, as most roads are currently blocked. “The fares set by airlines are not illegal. The Authority has established minimum and maximum fare limits, and airlines are operating within those limits,” he explained. 

Similarly, Manoj Karki, President of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal, claimed that they are working to ensure smoother travel for citizens during this crisis. “We have already held a meeting today and requested the airlines not to charge the upper fare limit. Currently, tickets are being sold only at lower prices,” he said.

Anil Manandhar, corporate manager of Shree Airlines, echoed this sentiment, stating that they are offering tickets at regular rates. “We are selling tickets based on seat availability and have not charged more than the government-mandated fare,” he said.