Lukla airport lacks flight announcement facility

SOLUKHUMBU: The absence of flight announcement facility at the busy Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla has created a problem for the passengers boarding the aircraft.

The passengers waiting at the terminal for flights are facing difficulties in identifying their aircraft and the time of departure.

During the peak tourist season, the airport witnesses around 80 to 90 inbound and outbound flights per day and with three to four flights at a given time.

According to a tourist guide Lakpa Niru Sherpa, "There are two to four aircraft on standby and we have to run around to inquire which one is ours."

From the time they enter the terminal, they need to constantly ask the staff about their flights and fear their flights would be missed, Sherpa shared.

The Tenzing-Hillary Airport, where flights are operated mostly during morning hours, usually operates all of the flights within a short span of time.

During these rush hours, the terminal building is packed with passengers, who are compelled to wait before the ticket counter for flight details because of the lack of flight announcement facility.

Tired of waiting, many tourists have left their belongings behind in the rush, the tour guide added.

The airlines are not aloof of this problem. Tara Airlines Lukla In-charge Phinuru Sherpa said, "This has also created problems for us, we are tired of searching for passengers during the take-off."

The airport earlier had an announcement facility; but a few years later, a technical glitch disrupted the service, informed the Civil Aviation Authority Office, Lukla.

Meanwhile, the Authority said it was making efforts to solve the problem.