SC issues show-cause notice over airfare hike

The Supreme Court on thrusday issued a show-cause notice to private airlines operators and the government authorities over the imposition of fuel surcharge on air tickets.

A single bench of Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi issued the show-cause notice, acting on a writ petition filed by the Consumers Rights Protection Forum. The forum in its writ argued that the fuel surcharge was unjustifiable and demanded that the court order the operators to withdraw the decision.

Citing the rise in aviation fuel prices, the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) had on November 11 announced to add fuel surcharge ranging between Rs 240 to Rs 725 on air tickets for both trunk and short-takeoff-and-land routes.

The AOAN had announced that the surcharge was imposed to counterbalance the losses suffered by the operators due to increased fuel prices.

In the first week of November, the Nepal Oil Corporation had (NOC) increased the aviation fuel price by 23 percent, fixing the rate of per litre fuel at Rs 68.