KATHMANDU:- A new system for distributing scheduled flight tickets from Simkot to Nepalgunj has been introduced following protests by local youth over irregular ticket allocation.
Chief District Officer Tek Kumar Regmi said that, starting Sunday, each scheduled flight will reserve two seats for patients, three government seats, and three seats for the general public through online booking.
One seat on each flight will be reserved for residents of Simkot- 5 and 6, where the airport is located.
This is the first time the locals from these wards have received reserved seats. In total, 10 seats will be allocated through this system, while the remaining three to four seats will be distributed by the airlines based on demand. The system applies to scheduled flights of Sita, Summit, Tara, and Nepal Airlines.
The change follows an incident last Saturday when local youth protested, alleging arbitrary ticket distribution and locked the offices of all four airlines.
The local administration then held a multi-stakeholder meeting, including youth representatives, security personnel, political leaders and airline officials. Following the meeting, a new ticket distribution system has been introduced. Flights under the four airlines operate seven times a week.