International airlines post strong bookings

International airlines have posted strong inbound bookings beginning from the second week of Sept from major gateways connecting Nepal—Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuala Lumpur and China.

According to travel agencies, almost all the flights are booked over 80 percent for the period between mid-Sept and mid-Oct. Some flights from India and China are even sold out.

The Sept-Nov period is Nepal’s peak tourist season, which accounts for 35 percent of the year’s tourist arrivals. In addition, autumn is Nepal’s main festival season when thousands of migrant workers and other Nepalis living abroad return home to celebrate Dashain and Tihar with their families.

According to Osho World Travel Nepal, Chinese airlines, including China Southern, China Eastern, Air China and Sichuan Airlines, have observed more than 80 percent advance bookings for the autumn.

“The current bookings reflect the festive travel rush,” said Deepak Basnet, ticketing executive of Osho World Travel Nepal. “However, based on the current hotels bookings trend, airlines are expected to see faster-than-expected travel bookings by foreigners from mid-Sept,” said Basnet. “The autumn is likely to bring cheers to the ailing tourism industry.”

China Southern has observed more than 80 percent booking for Sept 10-19. The carrier started daily flights between Guangzhou and Kathmandu on Sept 1, and plans to double its flights from Oct 30. “From Sept 20 to Oct-end, its flights, even business class, are sold out,” he said.

China Eastern, which connects Kathmandu with Kunming, has observed more than 80 percent bookings for Sept 10-23. For the period between Sept 24 and Oct 6, its flights have been sold out until. The carrier is planning to boost its frequency from three weekly flights to daily from Sept 26.

Air China that operates four direct weekly flights on the Chengdu-Kathmandu sector and five weekly flights on the Chengdu-Lhasa-Kathmandu repute has recorded over 80 percent bookings for Sept 22 to Oct 3.

Sichuan Airlines that operates on the Chengdu-Lhasa-Kathmandu route has posted 80 percent bookings for Sept 24 to Oct 5. Indian carriers, including Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Indigo Air, have also observed robust bookings on the Delhi-Kathmandu sector for mid-Sept to mid-Oct period.

Indian Airlines that operates 11 weekly flights from Delhi has recorded more than 80 percent bookings. Another Indian carrier—Jet Airways—that operates 14 weekly flights from Delhi is 80 percent booked for Sept 16 to Sept 23, and its flights are sold out for Sept 30 to Oct 12, according to Osho Travel.

Jet currently flies twice daily to Delhi and once daily to Mumbai, and plans to add one flight each on these two sectors by Oct.

Likewise, Indigo has 70 percent advance reservations on the Delhi-Kathmandu sector for Sept 16 to 26. From Sept 27 to Oct 7, its bookings have crossed 80 percent.

Meanwhile, national flag carrier Nepal Airlines, which operates 11 weekly flights on the Kathmandu-Delhi, sector has sold 70 percent of its inbound seats. Advance reservations on another busy sector—Kuala Lumpur-Kathmandu—has also crossed 80 percent.

Malaysia Airlines flights are booked over 80 percent for Sept 20 to Oct 9, while no-frills Air Asia X has observed 80 percent bookings for Sept 18 to Oct 7. Malindo Air has observed 70 percent bookings for Sept 21 to Oct 7. Nepal Airlines inbound bookings from Kuala Lumpur have crossed 80 percent for Sept 22 to Oct 7.

Qatar Airways, which operates three daily flights from Doha to Kathmandu, has observed 90 percent bookings for Sept 23 to Oct 16.

Nepali private carrier—Himalaya Airlines—has more than 80 percent inbound bookings for Sept 27 to Oct 10, while Nepal Airlines has observed more than 60 percent advance reservations on the Doha-Kathmandu route.

Etihad Airways that connects Kathmandu from Dubai has reported 90 percent bookings for Sept 20 to Oct 10. Etihad has announced conducting double daily flights from Oct. It

currently operates daily flights.  Low-cost carrier Fly Dubai that operates four daily flights on the sector has more than 80 percent bookings on its flights connecting Nepal from Dubai International Airport and 60 percent on flights connecting Nepal from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. It plans to add an additional flight after November on the sector.

Nepal Airlines that operates three weekly flights on the sector has 90 percent bookings for Sept 20 to Oct 10.

Oman Air that connects double daily flights from Muscat to Kathmandu has also more than 90 percent bookings for Sept 20 to mid-Oct.

Turkish Airlines, the only European airline flying to Nepal, has observed 90 percent bookings for Sept 27 to mid-Oct. It currently flies four weekly flights to Nepal. Nearly 95 percent of travellers flying to and from Kathmandu with Turkish Airlines are transit passengers.

Bangkok-based Thai Airways has more than 80 percent reservations for Sept 24 to Sept-end. From Oct 1, its all economy class seats have been sold out until Oct 10.

Hong Kong-based Dragonair that operates daily flights to Nepal, including one flight on Hong Kong-Dhaka-Kathmandu, has observed 70 percent bookings for Sept 16 to 24, and over 80 percent bookings for Sept 25 to Oct 9.

Korean Air that operates two weekly flights has observed more than 90 percent bookings for Sept 19 to Oct 9. The carrier plans to add an extra flight from Oct.

source:the kathmandu post, 5 sep 2016