Most of the air tickets for Dashain booked

The pressure on air service has increase this year mainly because the government and transporters have not announced booking for bus tickets yet. Officials of major domestic airlines like Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Simrik Airlines and Goma Air say that they have already received booking more than 90 percent of seats in almost all destinations between October 13 and 26. Bhim Raj Rai, media manager of Yeti Airlines, said more than 95 percent of seats during Dashain holidays have already been booked. "The demand is particularly high in Biratnagar, Bhadrapur, Bhairahawa and Tumlingtar sectors. We won't be able to issue any tickets to these destinations if chartered flight is not arranged," Rai said. Buddha Air has received 100 percent booking for Dashain holidays. "Our flights to Biratnagar, Janakpur, Bhairahawa and Tumlingtar have received 100 percent bookings," Rupesh Joshi, sales and marketing director of Buddha Air, told Republcia. "We do not have any seat for Dashain passengers unless chartered flights are added." The airlines are ready to add chartered flights as the demand is high. However, they have not been able to announce addition of such flights because it is not clear yet Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) will provide aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for chartered flights or not. Pradip Kumar Yadav, aviation fuel in-charge of NOC, said domestic airlines will not face shortage of fuel until Dashain. However, he did not say whether or not NOC will provide fuel for chartered flights as not a single tanker of ATF has entered Kathmandu afternoon after India enforced 'unofficial' blockade. Though domestic airlines are receiving ATF from NOC, they have not been able to get fuel for other vehicles that transport their cabin crews and other staffers. Simrik Air has also received 90 percent bookings for this Dashain. "Around 90 percent of our seats for Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Khanidanda (Khotang) and Jomsom flights have already been booked. The demand in Bhairahawa and Khanidanda sectors is so high that we want to operate extra flights if we get ATF," Prajwal Thapa, marketing chief of Simrik Air, said. Most of the airlines are in 'wait and watch' mood. They are prepared to immediately open booking for chartered flights in sectors where demand is high from Ghatasthapana to Purnima i.e. October 13 to 26. Bishnu Dulal, reservation executive of Goma Air, said were ready to operate chartered flights in sectors where demand is high. But we have not been able to open booking as we have been asked not to operate chartered flights because of fuel crisis, he added. Almost 90 percent of Goma Air's seats for Khanidanda, Lukla, Phaplu, Jumla, Simikot, Dolpa, Surkhet, Dang, Tumlingtar and Nepalgunj have already been booked, according to Dulal. The airline, which has been flying four times a week to Tumlingtar, is increasing flight frequency to seven flights a week from Thursday till October 26. Meanwhile, Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN), the umbrella organization of domestic airlines, has requested NOC to supply to its member agencies needful diesel and petrol for running ground power equipment, and vehicles for transporting passengers and cargo, cabin crews and ground staff.