KATHMANDU, APRIL 30
Amid the prohibitory order, the number of flights has been reduced by more than 50 per cent.
According to General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Pratap Babu Tiwari, only 77 domestic flights were scheduled for today. Among the total flights, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) operated four flights, Buddha Air 35 flights, Yeti Airlines 20 flights, Tara Air four flights, Shree Airlines 12 flights and Summit Air operated two flights.
On Thursday, which was the very first day of the prohibitory order, a total of 104 flights had been operated in which a total of 8,269 passengers travelled from and to Kathmandu.
Of the total flights yesterday, NAC operated four flights, Buddha Air 50, Yeti Airlines, 27, Tara Air five, Shree Airlines 15 and Summit Air operated four flights.
On Wednesday, a total of 149 flights had landed and taken off and 15,263 passengers had travelled through the TIA.
According to the airport data, there has been a sharp decline in the number of flights today. The number of air passengers has decreased due to the prohibitory order and travel restrictions issued in various districts.
Amid this, the airline operators have been requesting the passengers opt for air travel during the pandemic as it is 'relatively safer'. Moreover, the government has also allowed operations of pre-paid taxi services for the passengers travelling to the airport.
Meanwhile, the airline operators have also formed a monitoring committee to facilitate passengers at the TIA amid the coronavirus pandemic and the prohibitory order.
A monitoring committee comprising representatives of Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Summit Air, Shree Airlines and Saurya Airlines has been formed under the coordination of the President of Airline Operators' Association of Nepal (AOAN).
According to Yograj Kandel, spokesperson for AOAN, services are being provided at the airport by following the health safety protocols based on the guidelines of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 01, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
