Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa urges government to control increase in airfare

KATHMANDU, Nov 18:The Nepali Congress General Secretary, Gagan Thapa, has urged the governments to take the required actions to curb the outrageous increase in international airfare. 

On Thursday, General Secretary Thapa and Lawmakers Sanjay Gautam of the Nepali Congress (NC) stated that he met with Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Prasad Pandey, expressed his interest in the issue, and requested that he facilitate and resolve the situation as soon as possible.

Along with Secretary Ganesh Prasad Pandeya, officials from the Ministry, Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Pradeep Adhikari, officials from the Nepal Airlines Corporation, and representatives from other concerned authorities at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. 

After meeting with Minister Pandey, Thapa stated, "Due to the construction work going on at the Tribhuvan International Airport, the number of flights has decreased, and as a result, the international air fares has increased abnormally." Which has a direct influence on ordinary people. We have heard the Ministry's perspective on this matter. We received information on what is being done to enhance it.

Minister Pandey said during the meeting that various improvements will be implemented beginning in December. But, even though there is no sign of change in the air fares, General Secretary Thapa has urged that the fares cease the irregularity by taking all necessary steps to resolve it.

The construction work at the airport will have a negative impact on the country's air traffic and fares. How may the period of construction be decreased by making the airport building work that is presently underway more dynamic by implementing which measures? "The government needs to make an effort to reduce the construction period," Thapa remarked.

General Secretary Thapa further stated that workers traveling to Korea were heavily hurt due to high air fares. We advised that this problem be rectified by requiring Nepal Airlines to fly to Korea or by exploring other possibilities.