Development and the change in economy has made air travel more affordable for Nepal as it is increasingly becoming the transportation of choice for domestic travel. Previously, most travelers would choose road transportation over flights as road transportation was more affordable. But road transportation is time consuming in a country that is filled with hills and mountains. Some regions even take days to get to the destination on the road. Road traveling is even more unpredictable and risky especially during monsoon when landslides are a common occurrence in the hills. However, with the introduction of low-cost airlines, flights are now affordable for the common people. They can now travel by air without pinching their pockets.
Statistics show that there are more numbers of passengers on domestic airlines as compared to the previous decade. This is mainly because the airlines have introduced low-cost carriers (LCCs) in Nepal. Full service carriers can offer LCCs only by reducing prices. This means that the only strategy to launch a LCC is to launch all-economy flights or to move their flight to the low-cost wing. This move is very beneficial for the consumers for many reasons which we will discuss below.
Affordable Price
The biggest benefit of low-cost airlines is that the common consumer or the budget traveler can now travel by air. It is no longer a far-fetched dream for the common folk. Low-cost air services cut budget on expensive services such as complimentary food and drinks. In Nepal, as the duration of most air travel lasts half an hour to one hour, serving meals isn’t all that necessary. However, some airlines provide small snacks like bakery or sweets for the passengers. In a budget airline, all of these extra costs are cut off, providing the lowest possible rate for the general audience to purchase. Budget-friendly airlines are straightforward and don't require any frills.
Online Booking
You can purchase online tickets at a good deal for budget airlines. Online apps and websites of the airlines may offer discounts and other services to optimize their economic benefits. Buying tickets online can also help you to earn ticketing points which can be exchanged for many other benefits. It can also offer discounts on certain flights. It is also beneficial to buy online tickets as they help you to avoid having to travel to the airlines’ office to book the tickets, thus saving you time and money. Mobile apps and online ticketing options are also useful to check your live flight status.
Frequent Flier Benefits
Some budget airlines also provide frequent flier benefits allowing customers to earn miles and redeem them for flight tickets or other benefits. Frequent fliers will have the advantage to book their preferred seats in advance and will also get discounts on every purchase. This is done to encourage the frequent fliers to stick with one airline while the frequent fliers get special access to the airline’s benefits. This makes it a win-win situation.
Increase In Tourism
When flight tickets cost less, people can afford to spend more on their destinations. By saving on flights, people can travel more frequently to places that they wish to visit. They are more capable of visiting new places and can spend more for entertainment and leisure. This helps to increase tourism flow into the destination and also help in economic growth. With low-cost airlines, there might also be options for holiday packages that can be purchased together with a flight ticket to the destination.
Variety in Destinations
With low-cost airlines, you can get more destinations as they provide more airport options. High cost or luxury flights only fly to specific destinations and airports in different cities, which can be inconvenient to a majority of passengers. With less cost, budget airlines can provide more destination options regardless of the luxury services provided at the destination airport. This way, passengers can also save cost by not having to travel too far from the airport to their destination.
It is estimated that the rate of people traveling by air will only grow more as the economy develops and people begin to seek comfort and time-efficiency. Although there are some compromises that have to be made in a budget-friendly airline, such as cramped leg space, no complimentary meals or less baggage allowance, these are minor inconveniences which don't affect the passenger too much. Low budget airlines are a straight-forward, no-frills way to get to the destination cheaply and quickly. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages as most people are only looking for the fastest way to get to their destination and do not care for the extra services. This is the reason budget air travel has increased in the past few years. Low cost airlines in Nepal offer quality service, no compromise on safety and standard services at an affordable rate for all Nepalis.