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In transit
You know you are going but do you know how to get there?
by RISHI AMATYA
| FROM ISSUE # 127 (July 2006) | IN THIS ISSUE | |||
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Study abroad is the mantra vibrating in the veins of the youth today. With international fleets zooming across the Nepali sky, the choice of routes for students is varied. The trick is to find one that best suits your requirement. 
"When choosing airlines, students look for reliability, services provided and most importantly, cost factors. Many of them opt for Qatar Airways as they provide excellent services for down-to-earth prices," says Manish Khadka, counsellor at Orbit Int'l Education. However, your destination plays an important role in choosing the air route you want to travel by.
Most international airlines cater to international capitals but their flight might not be convenient to all customers. "The majority of students flying to either the US or UK prefer Qatar or Gulf Air, while students flying to Singapore, Bangkok and Australia prefer Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines or RNAC," says Dinesh Chaulagain, counsellor at All Bright International Education.
Travel agents agree as Bimala Pradhan of Neel Travels says, "Qatar Airways, with its unmatched services and competitive ticket prices seems to be the best choice for anyone headed for the US or UK." Transit hours should be anticipated if you are booked for a long haul flight. Osho World Travel Nepal's Sangam Lama says, "For students headed for the States or Britain, Qatar's route is the shortest and the most convenient. The flight takes off from Kathmandu and heads off to the US with transit in Doha and London."
"Ask how many hours you have to spend in transit and plan accordingly," says Anurodh Joshi who is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in the US, "Transit hours can be frustratingly boring as you are stuck in the airport doing nothing." His friend Gaurab adds, "I had to wait nearly five hours for my next plane, it was extremely tiring trying to while the hours away." Planning ahead means you could make it productive. You can shop, catch up on music and reading, or play 'Antakshari' like Bizu Aryal says, "My friend and I sang in the terminal till we were hoarse. Singing helps me connect to other people." The number of hours spent in transit depends on the destination and weather conditions of the area. As Chaulagain adds, "The maximum number of hours a student spent in transit is 13 hours due to unfavourable weather conditions. Usually its less than eight hours."