Airlines Promise Affordable Tickets Amid Heavy Dashain Travel and Road Blockages

With the Dashain festival underway and complaints of high airfares circulating, the Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has assured passengers that domestic carriers are selling tickets below the government’s maximum fare ceiling.

Issuing a statement, AOAN President Manoj Karki said airlines are issuing tickets at prices lower than the cap set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The association, which represents all domestic airlines, emphasized that it remains committed to keeping fares affordable throughout the Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath festivals.

The association made the pledge following a meeting stakeholders chaired by the Tourism Ministry’s secretary and attended by CAAN officials and airline representatives on Thursday, September 25. The meeting concluded with a collective decision to continue selling tickets below the government-imposed maximum rates. AOAN also clarified that flights to remote areas remain under the same fare structure, as demand there has not significantly increased.

Meanwhile, domestic air travel has surged sharply with the onset of Dashain. CAAN spokesperson Rinji Sherpa said internal flights have been heavily booked since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the festival. On Wednesday, airlines operated 135 flights despite poor weather, below the scheduled 141. A total of 167 domestic flights were scheduled for Thursday with clear skies.

Private carrier Buddha Air scheduled 170 two-way flights on Thursday, up from 150 the previous day. The company added two extra flights each to Bhairahawa and Bharatpur to accommodate demand, said marketing director Rupesh Joshi. Bad weather Wednesday afternoon forced the cancellation of all flights to Pokhara and Bhairahawa.

Shree Airlines reported a similar spike, with around 50 round-trip flights daily. Spokesperson Anil Manandhar said road blockages, particularly the Muglin–Narayangadh section disrupted by repeated landslides, have pushed more passengers toward air travel. He noted that fares on outbound Kathmandu flights have risen slightly due to the imbalance between outbound and inbound demand, a trend expected to continue through Sunday.

Currently, domestic airlines are operating over 340 flights a day, while international arrivals and departures exceed 110 flights daily. To ease holiday travel, CAAN has extended Tribhuvan International Airport’s operating hours from 6 am in the morning to 1 am at night and promised fast-track flight permits to airlines during the festive period.

CAAN information officer Gyanendra Bhul added that while carriers are keeping fares within the approved range, high aviation fuel prices remain a challenge. He urged the government to offer policy support or subsidies on fuel to help control ticket prices during the festive season. -- RSS