Kathmandu, January 12

With Nepal Oil Corporation reducing the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by Rs 10 per litre for domestic airlines, the domestic airline companies have reduced the fuel surcharge on passenger airfare for domestic sector.

Releasing a press statement, the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) — an umbrella organisation of domestic airline operators — has said that it has reduced air ticket price. The reduced price is effective from Sunday.

On Thursday, Nepal Oil Corporation had reduced the price of ATF by Rs 10 a litre to Rs 94.50 per litre for domestic airlines.

The association informed that the price of air ticket has been reduced in 13 trunk destinations, 79 short takeoff and landing (STOL) destinations and also for mountain flights. As per AOAN, the domestic airlines have reduced the airfares by a minimum of Rs 90 to a maximum of Rs 440 on trunk routes and a minimum of Rs 40 to a maximum of Rs 340 on STOL routes.

The airfare from Kathmandu to Simara has been reduced by Rs 90, which is the lowest reduction and airfare from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi has been brought down by Rs 440 which is the maximum reduction on trunk routes.

As per an understanding between NOC and AOAN, private domestic carriers are allowed to review fuel surcharge if the price of aviation turbine fuel increases or decreases by at least four rupees per litre.

Flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara will now cost Rs 5,050. Similarly, the price of an air ticket from Kathmandu to Bharatpur and from Kathmandu to Biratnagar will cost Rs 3,650 and Rs 7,550, respectively. Likewise, passengers will have to pay Rs 4,300 from Kathmandu to Janakpur and Rs 3,120 for a flight from Kathmandu to Simara.

Moreover, air tickets from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa will stand at Rs 6,200. Air passengers from Kathmandu will now have to pay Rs 12,650 for a ticket to Dhangadhi and Rs 10,000 for Nepalgunj. Likewise, the airfare from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur and from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar will stand at Rs 9,100 and Rs 6,000, respectively.

Similarly, as per the association, tickets for mountain flights from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu will now cost Rs 11,300 each.

Ghanashyam Acharya, spokesperson for AOAN, said that this reduction in airfare will provide respite to some extent to domestic air passengers and also to people who need to send cargo.

AOAN had increased airfare in August last year when Nepal Oil Corporation had increased aviation turbine fuel price.