CAAN bans chartered flight services

Kathmandu: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has banned the operation of all flights except those chartered flights to be facilitated by diplomatic missions.

The CAAN’s decision is to have its huge effect on national flag-carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). The company was making chartered flights almost every day during the lockdown.

The CAAN’s move came as airlines companies and travel agencies were found alleged of charging passengers haphazardly in the name of chartered flights during the crisis. The decision has come into force from today and the CAAN had stated about this by issuing a notice on Saturday night.

”There will be permission for only flight to take through diplomatic means when all commercial flights have been suspended,” the notice stated. However, the decision would have no impact on the NAC pre-scheduled flights.

The NAC wide-body will be flying to international destinations: Narita of Japan at 9:00 pm today and Canberra of Australia on Monday. The company makes the highest international chartered flights during lockdown.

A total of 30 airlines companies including three domestic ones make international flights from Nepal. NAC one senior official said the CAAN’s decision would have its huge implications on the NA business.

The NAC made 23 international chartered flights including nine cargo and 11 domestic chartered flights during the lockdown which has been in-force since March 24. The government has suspended the international flights since March 22 and domestic flights since March 24 due to the rising fear of coronavirus.

Currently lockdown is in place till June 14 and the air service has been suspended till June 30. According to TIA, it witnessed the operations of 110 international chartered flights from March 23 to June 6 (RSS).