Nepalmountainnews Report | 26 Jun 2008
The government Wednesday gave the green signal to airlines to add a fuel surcharge on domestic routes, but at a rate lower than what the airlines are now charging.
The surcharges fixed by the government range from Rs 350 to Rs 1,590, depending on the sector. The airlines, however, have been adding extra charges to their tickets ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,740 for the last few weeks, citing the increased price of air fuel. 
“We have calculated a surcharge of Rs 17.86 per minute of flight in remote areas. In other regions, the rate is Rs 27.41 per minute,” said an official at the Civil Aviation Ministry. “We have already directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to force the airlines to abide by the government's surcharge rates.”
This means passengers flying between Kathmandu and Simara, the shortest air link in the country, must pay a surcharge of Rs 350. However, the carriers are charging Rs 500 extra. Likewise, the surcharge fixed by the government for the Kathmandu-Dhangadhi sector, the longest air route in the country, is Rs 1,590 while the airlines are charging Rs 1,740.
When asked about the airlines' next move, Rupees Joshi, marketing director of Buddha Air, said they have not been notified of the government's decision yet.
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