An inter-ministerial discussion took place today to address the issue of rising airfares by international airlines, which has severely impacted Nepalis seeking foreign employment. Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, held talks with Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba and Labor and Employment Minister Sharad Singh Bhandari to discuss solutions.
In the meeting, Minister Pandey, along with representatives from organizations involved in foreign employment, discussed the fare increase and its effect on workers going abroad. Topics included the possibility of lifting restrictions on using New Delhi’s airport as a transit point and facilitating additional flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, as per the Ministry of Tourism.
During the discussion, Foreign Minister Rana expressed her commitment to controlling airfare hikes, assuring that diplomatic efforts would be made to secure flight options from New Delhi for Nepali passengers. She highlighted that an inter-ministerial meeting would be held to address the matter and requested diplomatic support from the embassy to ease travel for affected passengers.
Labor Minister Bhandari clarified that while Nepalis previously used New Delhi as a transit point for labor migration, the practice was halted following concerns over increased human trafficking. He encouraged airlines to consider adding flights from Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports to reduce costs for travelers. Minister Bhandari also stressed the need to curb syndication and cartelization if they are causing fare increases, as these practices also deter international tourists from visiting Nepal.
Minister Pandey acknowledged that reduced flight hours at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), due to runway expansion at night, may have contributed to the fare hike. “With news of runway expansion, airlines had already planned to cut down flights,” he noted, adding that flight diversions to Pokhara and Bhairahawa international airports are underway.
Representatives from foreign employment businesses pointed out that some airlines may be exploiting the reduced TIA hours as an opportunity for cartel-like behavior, further driving up airfares. Deepak Thapa, President of the Democratic Foreign Employment Business Association, claimed that certain airlines and travel agencies were behind the excessive fare increases, calling for government intervention.
The inter-ministerial dialogue aimed to address the growing concerns over airfare hikes, with potential steps to facilitate smoother and more affordable travel for both foreign-bound workers and incoming tourists.
Source: RSS