Reduction in international flights causes airfares to increase up to 300 percent

KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 8: Starting today, the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) will be closed for approximately 10 hours daily for the next five months due to upgrades. With the airport only operating from 10 PM to 8 AM every day, there are not going to be any night flights.

In fact, the 30 percent reduction in total flights has caused international airfares to rise by up to a shocking 300%. Airline companies attribute this to reduced flights, combined with higher demand.  "Many Nepali workers, who are employed abroad, return home during festivals. This is also a busy time when many workers leave for new jobs." they justify.

Travel agency operators also subscribe to this justification.  "Particularly, the demand is so high there are no air tickets for international destinations available from Kathmandu until November 20," they argue.

Nevetheles, Rajendra Bhandari, president of the Foreign Employment Business Association, does not believe the demand-supply mismatch is solely responsible for the staggering hike in international airfares. According to him,  the travel agencies engaging in cartels to make bucks is also a reason behind the hike." They have been holding back air tickets and selling them at inflated prices."

Price Increases:

• The price for a one-way ticket from Kathmandu to Delhi has surged to NPR 40,000, up from around NPR 10,000.
• A one-way ticket to Qatar now costs NPR 100,000, compared to NPR 50,000 for a round-trip ticket earlier.
• One-way flights to Dubai have increased to NPR 85,000, up from NPR 55,000 for a round-trip.
• One-way tickets to Malaysia have risen to NPR 80,000, while they were previously NPR 48,000.
• The cost of a one-way ticket to Kuwait has increased to NPR 70,000, compared to NPR 35,000 before.

With no available seats on international airlines until November 20, many Nepali workers are now travelling to their labour destinations via New Delhi in India.

Those labourers who have received labour clearance may obtain a "No Objection Certificate" (NOC) from the Nepali Embassy in the Indian capital, allowing them to travel to other countries. This NOC can now be obtained online.

30% Reduction in Flights:

The TIA handles flights from 30 international airlines, including three Nepali companies. Before the airport closure, more than 300 domestic flights and around 100 international flights were operating. With the closure, 30% of international flights have been canceled or rescheduled.

During the night, 11 airlines had 14 flight schedules, but some flights were canceled, while others were rescheduled. For example:

• Qatar Airways had a 2:15 AM flight from Kathmandu to Doha.
• Thai Airways had a 12:25 AM flight to Bangkok.
• Malaysian Airlines had a 11:15 PM flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Other airlines, such as Jazeera Airways, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and China Southern, have also reduced or rescheduled their flights.

Airport Expansion:

This closure is part of an ongoing upgrade project funded by the Asian Development Bank. The expansion includes building a parallel taxiway to the southwest, an international apron to the north, and a hangar apron to the east. The total cost of these upgrades is estimated at NPR 15 billion.

In previous years, the airport underwent expansions as well, such as lengthening the runway in 2020. During that time, the airport was closed for 12 hours daily (from 6 PM to 6 AM). Similarly, in 2018, the runway was resurfaced, and the airport was closed for 10 hours daily for around four months. The airport now operates from 6 AM to 2 AM daily.