PIA losing charm for Chitralis

CHITRAL, APRIL 21: With the opening of the under-construction Lowari Tunnel, Chitralis’ dependence on the PIA has decreased significantly but the national flag-carrier has continued increasing its fares on the route.

People of Chitral have urged the PIA management to bring down fare charges on Chitral-Peshawar route so that they could benefit from the airline service.

When contacted, a PIA official said the number of flights was seven a week till last month which had now been reduced to four owing to decreasing number of passengers. He said the average number of passengers per flight of the 52-seater ATR-72 aircraft on the route had dropped to 20 only, resulting in losses for national carrier. A single fare on the route is Rs6,500, which includes Rs2,120 as airline fare, 18 per cent central excise duty, five percent each as service charges and provincial government tax, Rs320 airport tax and Rs3,000 fuel surcharge.

Official sources said that the fuel surcharge of Rs3,000 on each passenger of the airline was uniform in country irrespective of the length of destination. However, the people of Chitral have urged the airline management to cut the fare to an affordable level. They feared that the flight on Peshawar-Chitral might be abandoned if the number of passengers continued to drop.

Former district nazim Maghfirat Shah said if Rs3,000 fuel surcharge was quashed for the people of Chitral the fare would come to an affordable level.–Zahiruddin