Domestic carriers hike fuel surcharge, air travel becomes costlier

With the state oil monopoly jacking up prices of the aviation fuel by Rs 10 per litre to Rs 130 from Saturday, the domestic carriers are also increasing the fuel surcharge on air tickets by up to Rs 385 from tomorrow making the air travel costlier.

On August 10, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) had hiked Rs 10 or eight per cent in the aviation fuel.

Domestic airliners can adjust fuel surcharge, if the aviation fuel is adjusted by Rs 4 per litre upwards or downwards.
A meeting of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has immediately after the fuel price hike on Saturday, announced to the increase fuel surcharge on Sunday.

The shortest distance air ticket to Simara will now be hiked by Rs 110, whereas the longest distance air travel Dhangadi will add Rs 385 and mountain flights will add Rs 375 fuel surcharge.

According to senior marketing manager of Buddha Air Rupesh Joshi, the airliners are forced to hike the fuel surcharge due to hike in the price of the domestic aviation fuel that contributes around 30 per cent to 35 per cent to the overall cost of the airlines operations.

Earlier, the domestic airlines has increased fuel surcharge on September 5, 2012, after NOC had raised the aviation fuel price by 10.09 per cent to Rs 120 per litre.