April 21: The price of Kathmandu-New Delhi air tickets has more than doubled after the cash-strapped Jet Airways suspended its flights indefinitely.

 

Passengers travelling from Kathmandu to New Delhi will now have to pay as much as Rs 60,000 for two-way air fare.

 

Until the collapse of Jet Airways last week, the round-trip cost of Kathmandu-New Delhi air fare was between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 only.

 

Officials at the Tribhuvan International Airport informed New Business Age that they are having a hard time managing passengers in the route due to the high demand for tickets.

 

Currently, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Air India and Indigo Airlines are conducting five flights on a daily basis in the Kathmandu-New Delhi route.   

Likewise, Bhutan Airlines and Duke Air are operating three flights a week along Paro-Kathmandu-Delhi route.   

According to CN Pandey, chairman of Nepal Travel Agencies Association (NATA), the suspension of Jet Airways flights has skyrocketed the one-way airfare between Kathmandu and New Delhi for economy class from Rs 8,000-Rs 12,000 to Rs 28,000-Rs 32,000.

The two-way airfare for economy class in Kathmandu-New Delhi route is Rs 35,000-Rs 42,000 while the two-way business class tickets cost Rs 60,000.