Kathmandu, 03 October (H.S.): Nepal is preparing to bring airlines that charge passengers exorbitant airfares during major festivals or emergency situations under stringent legal and financial penalties.

A bill introduced in the Federal Parliament to amend and consolidate laws relating to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal proposes imposing fines of up to NPR 1.5 million on airlines that charge passengers more than the fares approved by the authority.

In an effort to discourage the practice of overcharging passengers, Section 47 of the bill classifies irregularities related to airfares as a serious offence.

Operating flights while charging fares higher than the rates approved by the authority will be treated as an offence under the proposed law.

If such an offence is established, the airline concerned will face a substantial financial penalty. Under Section 48(1)(b) of the bill, the Director General would have the authority to impose a fine ranging from NPR 500,000 to NPR 1.5 million on an airline or individual found to have charged fares above the approved rates.

Airlines that continue to overcharge passengers despite having already been fined will face stricter action. The bill provides that if a person or organisation previously penalised for the offence commits the same violation again, the fine will be doubled compared with the penalty imposed for the previous offence.

Once the law comes into effect, it is expected to provide passengers with relief from excessively expensive tickets and arbitrary airfare increases during major festivals, adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, while also helping curb the black-marketing of air tickets.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar