TIA traffic volume clocks double-digit growth

KATHMANDU, AUG 01 -

Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) recorded double-digit growth in passenger traffic in the first three months of 2014 with outbound Nepali migrant workers turning into a flood.

According to TIA, the number of incoming and outgoing travellers jumped 16.14 percent to 832,944 during the period January-March.

The 25 international airlines connecting Nepal including the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines flew 115,762 more travellers in the first quarter year on year.

Traveller movement is likely to grow in the days ahead as most carriers connecting Nepal have doubled their flight frequency amid growing travel demand, said travel trade entrepreneurs.

The stats show that 1.16 million people including 332,853 domestic air travellers passed through TIA in the first quarter. Domestic passenger counts dipped 7.76 percent mostly as a result of seasonal schedule changes.

Meanwhile, there were 233 daily landings and take-offs including 164 by domestic carriers at TIA on an average. Over the period, the number of international flight movement jumped 9.13 percent to 6,151 flights.

“Increased passenger traffic has been led by a growth in the movement of Nepali migrant workers,” said Shyam Raj Thapaliya, managing director of Osho World Travel Nepal.

“Normally, the monsoon used to be termed the off-season for airlines connecting Nepal, but the trend has changed now. Almost all the flights are now filled with outbound Nepali travellers,” he added.

The figures of the Department of Foreign Employment show that the number of Nepalis leaving the country for overseas jobs swelled 16 percent to 527,000 in the last fiscal year.

To cater to the rising demand, almost all the airlines have increased their flight frequency with many doubling the number of flights.

Etihad Airways, Air India, China Southern, Malaysia Airlines and Spice Jet operate two daily flights to Nepal. Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia and Jet Airways fly more than two daily flights.  

In terms of passenger occupancy, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, Air India, Air Asia, Malaysia Airlines and Spice Jet saw the strongest growth.

Qatar topped the chart in the first three months of 2014 with 86,515 passengers, up 1.80 percent. Jet Airways, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, Air India and Air Asia secured the top five slots.

Jet’s passenger carriage dropped 6.96 percent to 73,159. The last four recorded growths of 44.94 percent, 24.83 percent, 12.30 percent and 119.76 percent respectively. Nepal Airlines recorded a 22.99 percent drop to 46,574 passengers.

Along with Jet and Nepal Airlines, India’s Indigo, Singapore-based Silk Air, Korean Airlines and Pakistan Airlines saw negative passenger growth. Pakistan Airlines conducted only 14 flights during the first three months and its passenger carriage dropped 68.38 percent to 1,181.

Meanwhile, passenger movement on the three Chinese carriers serving Nepal—Air China, China Southern and China Eastern—soared 20 percent. They flew 50,404 travellers in and out of TIA in the first three months.

Hong Kong-based Dragon Air saw a 16.80 percent growth in passenger occupancy. Dragon flew 31,012 travellers.

Source: The Kathmandu Post