With Dashain approximately one month away, airline ticket bookings have already begun for various destinations. Anticipating a surge in passenger traffic and potential ticket shortages, travelers have started booking their flights in a hurry.

Domestic airlines like Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, and Shree Airlines are seeing bookings for nearly all their destinations during Dashain.

According to airline companies, there is no such thing as an "advance booking" for flights, as tickets are always available for booking. Passengers can book their tickets at any time for their convenience.

The rush of people leaving Kathmandu for Dashain typically starts the day before Fulpati and lasts until Dashami. So far, Buddha Air has already booked 40% of its tickets.

According to Dipendra Karna, spokesperson for Buddha Air, some destinations may see tickets selling out completely. For example, tickets for Tumlingtar in Sankhuwasabha are already fully booked. Passengers began booking their flights about a month and a half ago.

"Now, if someone cancels a ticket, it might become available, but otherwise, bookings for Tumlingtar are full," he said. He added that tickets might also become unavailable for other airports with a limited number of daily flights.

Currently, Buddha Air operates one daily flight to Tumlingtar using its ATR-72 aircraft. Buddha Air has a fleet of 19 ATR aircraft and operates more than 150 daily flights.

Similarly, Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesperson for Yeti Airlines, reports that Dashain ticket bookings have been very strong.

He says that people leaving Kathmandu are booking tickets for the period between the day before Fulpati and the day of Tika.

Booking tickets in advance can also result in a lower fare. According to him, Yeti Air has already booked around 30 to 40% of its tickets.

"Many people complain that airlines increase fares during Dashain, but that's not true. If you book early, you can get some of the cheaper tickets at the minimum fare," he said. "Planes leaving Kathmandu are full of passengers, but the return flights are often empty. This is also a factor in the price difference between cheap and expensive tickets."

He advises that if you have confirmed your travel dates, booking your ticket on time will help you secure a discounted fare. Yeti Airlines currently operates flights to various destinations with its seven ATR 72 aircraft.