KATHMANDU, Aug 29: The passengers using Tribhuvan International Airport's (TIA) domestic airport terminal to fly are now required to reach the airport at least one hour prior to their respective flights.
The passengers will have to follow the security procedures of international flights and need to be present at the airport to go through procedures of security check.
Though the provision existed before as well, the TIA is now strictly enforcing the rule.
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"The rule was existent according to international criteria but the passengers did not seem to be following it," said Pratap Babu Tiwari, spokesperson at TIA. "The timing they are supposed to follow is even mentioned in air tickets of domestic airlines."
"But passengers are not in the habit of following the punctuality rules," he added.
According to TIA, the strict enforcement of the rule is an attempt to make the security system effective. "Passengers need to pass the walk through metal detector at departure and if there is a problem with even a single passenger, it will impact other passengers whose flights are scheduled," he said, adding: "Actually, passengers should be at the airport two hours before departure of their flights."
Most domestic airlines operator have issued a notice saying the domestic airport terminal of TIA will now follow the exact security procedures for international flights. According to the airlines operators, the new security procedures at the domestic terminal came into effect from August 18.
"The rule of checking-in an hour earlier was there before also. It is also mentioned in tickets. But passengers did not quite follow it," said Bhim Raj Rai, manager at Yeti Airlines. "Many passengers missed their flights in the past as they reached the airport late."
Meanwhile, domestic flights' passengers complain of recurrent flight delays. They often have to wait at the TIA for their flights because of delays and with the new enforcement, they will have to wait more hours when the flight is delayed.
