Deepak Rai, a local of Pawakhola, who was suffering from fever, died while being transported by motor to Kathmandu last week. He could have been saved if flight tickets had been available.

After the blacktopping of the Tumlingtar Airport runway, several private airlines have started flights, but getting tickets is difficult job.

Ram Kumar Khatri of Khandbari had to book tickets for a flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar a week in advance. Locals here must wait for at least seven days to travel by plane after purchasing tickets. “There is a problem travelling to and from Tumlingtar,” Khatri said. “We cannot get flights if tickets are not booked a week in advance.”

Although private airlines have added several flights, it is hard to get tickets, he said. “We even do not get tickets in the case of emergencies.”

Patients referred to hospitals in bigger cities by Khandbari-based District Hospital are finding it hard to get tickets. On an average, three patients are flown outside from Tumlingtar each day. As most do not get tickets, they are compelled to rent motor vehicles at paying fares.

District Health Officer Dr Madan Kumar Upadhyay said the patients were facing troubles as it was difficult to hire ambulances as well. “There are three daily flights, but still supply of air seat has not met the demand.”

“Frequently, we have to rush the patients in critical condition to Kathmandu and other cities,” said Upadhyay. “It is risky to transport them in motor vehicles as some of them die on the way.”

He said demanded the private airlines reserve seats for patients in all flights.

Transporting patients by ambulances or other vehicles to Dharan or Biratnagar is also complicated. The transportation cost is very high, and on top of that, the road condition is very bad, said local Ramesh Bhattarai. It costs Rs15,000-Rs20,000 to hire a vehicle to Biratnagar, he said.

Tumlingtar Airport has a 1,400m runway and the 42-seater ATR aircraft can land at this airport. After blacktopping, three private airlines—Goma Air, Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines—are operating here.

After Buddha and Yeti were unable to meet the demand, Goma started its service last month. Sher Bahadur Gurung, airport in-charge of Goma Air in Tumlingtar, said more than 54 passengers are flown from the airport daily.

“However, the existing seats are not enough to handle the rush,” he said.

Airlines said they have accorded priority to patients. “It has become difficult to manage tickets as a large number of people are travelling by air due to strikes along the highways,” Gurung said.