Druk will charge less than Bhutan Airlines
Aviation National airline Drukair will be charging lower domestic airfares than Tashi Air pvt ltd’s Bhutan Airlines.
While airfares for both airlines are still subject to government approval, Drukair has revealed that it will be charging USD 170 or Nu 8,670 (USD 1 = Nu 51) for a one-way ticket on the Paro – Bumthang route, which is USD 80/Nu 4,080 less than Bhutan Airlines.
For return tickets, Drukair will charge USD 340/Nu 17,340, which is USD 60/Nu 3,060 less than Bhutan Airlines.On the Paro – Trashigang route, Drukair will charge USD 215/Nu 10,960 for a one-way ticket, which is USD 135/Nu 6,885 less than Bhutan Airlines.
For a return trip, Drukair will cost USD 430/Nu 21930, which is USD 170/Nu 8,670 less than Bhutan Airlines.For the Bumthang – Trashigang or vice versa sector, the Drukair fare is USD 110/Nu 5610, which is USD 40/Nu 2,040 less than Bhutan Airlines. A Drukair return ticket is USD 220/Nu 11,220, which is USD 30/Nu 1,530 less than Bhutan Airlines.
Drukair CEO, Tandin Jamso, said children would be able to avail a 33 percent discount, while infants would be eligible for a 90 percent discount. He added that the national airline would also be providing a special promotional fare in December and January, the lean tourist months.
Drukair will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bhutan Airlines will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Like Bhutan Airlines, Drukair will operate even with only one passenger purchasing a ticket. But the two airlines could collaborate to carry each others passengers, when there are less or excess number of passengers for a particular flight, said CEO Tandin Jamso. For instance, if Bhutan Airlines has passengers in excess of eight, then Drukair might fly them on its next flight, under an understanding that would allow the normal schedule to be maintained.
Tandin Jamso pointed out that, since the start of the domestic air services has been delayed and is being launched during the lean tourist season, the two airlines could initially struggle, and so collaboration would be required.
The Drukair CEO explained that Drukair is able to charge a lower airfare, as it is able to spread the costs over more seats despite a higher operating cost. Bhutan Airlines’ PC12 will be fitted with only eight seats but in an executive class setting, while Drukair’s ATR 42-500 has 48 seats in an economy class layout. While it will not be able to use all its seats due to weight penalties, it will still have more capacity than eight.
While Bhutan Airlines is looking at the wealthy tourist and government market, Drukair is looking at a mixed market, said Tandin Jamso. He said that the national airline wants to fulfill its role of making air travel as affordable for the Bhutanese public as possible, and to provide connectivity and accessibility as per the government’s objective.
Meanwhile, the ministry of information and communications (MoIC) will be meeting both airlines today regarding their airfares and possibly, the launch date of domestic air services.
Asked whether Drukair domestic airfares could be lowered, given a government directive, Tandin Jamso said that, if the government provides incentives on the airfare, the national airline would consider lowering it further.
Bhutan Airlines CEO, David Young, did not comment.
Source: kuenselonline