June 21, 2022

Airline operators threaten to halt all regular flights

June 21, 2022

2 min read

Arrival at TIA — Kathmandu: The Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has warned the government that they would be forced to ground all regular flights from Wednesday if their demands are not met immediately.

Speaking during a press meet held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, the AOAN said all regular flights including helicopters will be grounded if the government does not resolve all the long-standing problems of the aviation sector in the country.

The AOAN got agitated after the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) unleased a decision to make a provision for the night-stop parking to 34 aircraft including 14 helicopters outside the Kathmandu Valley, claiming that there was no space at TIA.

The AOAN press release also says the earlier government decision to hike the fees of landing, parking, and navigation, as provisioned by the Airport Service Fee Regulations 2078 BS, should be revoked.

The AOAN demand also includes the arrangement of long-term hangars, helipads for helicopters and aircraft, and essential infrastructure management at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

Removing Nepali flag carriers from the backlist of the European Union (EU) and allowing the airline companies to operate their flights without obstructions is another demand, the press statement said.