National airline Drukair flew its first scheduled commercial domestic flight yesterday.
The airline carried 20 Bhutanese passengers from Batpalathang airport in Bumthang to Paro.
Drukair general manager for domestic air services, Namgay Wangchuk, said that the first commercial flight, including a return to Bumthang on Saturday, would only recover direct operating costs, which includes fuel and maintenance. Indirect costs, such as depreciation, will not be recovered, he said.
Yesterday’s Paro-Bumthang-Paro flight cost the airline Nu 152,000 or around USD 2,980 (at USD1 equaling Nu 51), said Namgay Wangchuk. The airline had to operate its ATR 42-500 to Batpalathang without any passengers to pick up its 20 Paro-bound passengers. The cost to Drukair for flying from Paro to Bumthang is Nu 76,000 or around USD 1,490.
Each passenger paid USD 180 or Nu 9,180 for a return trip. Based on this, Drukair will earn a total income of USD 3,600 or Nu 183,600, for flying the 20 passengers to Paro and then back to Bumthang, while it will cost the airline USD 5,960 or Nu 304,000.
Eighteen of the 20 passengers are part of an archery team coming to play a friendly archery match in Paro.
“It was a very nice flight, I enjoyed it,” said one of the passengers, businessman Jigme Tobgay. He added that, while he thought the airfare was expensive, it was still reasonable for emergencies. He said that he hoped airfares would be further reduced in the future. Other passengers pointed out that he thought the airfare is reasonable for the middle class, but beyond the incomes of villagers.
Other passengers pointed out how the road trip between Paro and Bumthang of at least nine hours had been reduced to 28 minutes.
Source: Kunesel
Updates on Drukair Domestic Flights
As of 21 Jan 2012, domestic flights ticketing to Bumthang & Yonphula will only be available at Drukair ticketing counters in Thimphu & Paro, Bhutan. International travellers who would like to take the domestic flights to Yonphula (Easter Bhutan, near Trashigang) and Bumthang (Central Bhutan) can contact Druk Asia’s office for reservations. A passport copy will need to be provided for domestic flight ticketing.
Read more about Drukair’s Domestic Flight Schedules & Pricing here.
Druk Asia is the ticketing agent of Druk Air, Royal Bhutan Airline in Singapore. You can contact us at +65 6338-9909 or send us enquiry or email to info@drukasia.com
