Scores of passengers stranded at Simkot airport due to shortage of air tickets

SIMKOT: NOV. 14 – Scores of passengers, including students, leaving Humla district for their destinations have been stranded as they have been struggling to book air tickets. As a result, students who are scheduled to return to their destinations for their studies after completing their festival vacations have been hit hard the most.

Humla, which has yet to connect to the national road network, relies on air travel to travel to other parts of the country. Air ticket agents belonging to private airlines in the district have been blamed for selling tickets arbitrarily, thus causing shortage of air tickets.

Bishnu Rawal of Kharpunath-1 in the district complained that he failed to book air ticket for himself since one week despite continuous efforts. “I fear I miss my examination scheduled for November 17 as a result.”

He said that he showed recommendations from the district administration office requesting the respective airline to manage an air ticket for him, but to no avail. Private airlines—Sita, Summit and Tara—have been operating flights from the district.

Sita Airlines did not run its flight from the district since one week as its aircraft has broken down, it has been said. In case of other airlines, their ticket agents have been selling tickets arbitrarily, thus leading to a shortage of air tickets, passengers charged. But, local people’s representatives and concerned authorities have been unaware of it.

Security guards at Simkot Airport in the district have been accused of mistreating media-persons who today morning reached the airport to report on the stranded passengers.

-RSS