Kathmandu:

Air transportation accounts for about 90 per cent of the tourists inflow to Nepal and they contribute to about 4 per cent of GDP representing 20 per cent foreign exchange earning of the country. Besides the economic inputs, these private airline have forked out their service in various situations especially by helicopter services for rescue operation during the natural calamities at high altitude places

Reluctance to Operate in Remote Areas:

The rationale behind providing the Provisional Air Operator’s Certificate (PAOC) was that these private airlines fully meet the adequate technical operational and managerial requirements for safety conditions that they utilize the regional hub airports as their base and they operate into remote stations. But, presently much thought is to be given as to why the airlines are reluctant to operate into the remote areas. It is an irony that Royal Nepal Airlines did have difficulties catering to the needs of the people to fly into STOL fields, yet it was operating into the remote stations. But even after the introduction of the private airlines that flooded the Nepalese sky, the need for the operation into the STOL fields still remained lacking .

Difficulties in implementing the policies:

Eventhough the government has brought in different ideas to encourage the STOL operation for the domestic airlines, yet things have not materialised due to various reasons. After the adoption of the liberal sky policy under the government’s market oriented policy, airlines pricing became complicated because private operators are using different types of fleet with different operating costs using new generation of aircraft. It does not become agreeable for private entrepreneur involved in the airline business to subsidize other operating cost for remote sector as served by government owned RNAC to tackle the pricing problem, initially government adopted a flexible airfare policy in 1992 as -

a) Regional Hub to remote area fare

b) Kathmandu (Centre) to district remote areas fare

c) Central to Road accessible areas fare

d) Major Tourist areas fare

We may, organize seminars, workshops and all the managerial stuff we can think of, yet unless and until all the line agencies, stakeholders, and concerned authorities are fully committed, for the implementation, the compliance of the flight into remote stations shall remain only as “flights of tramps”, and something for a chit-chat at coffee table. Let us not forget that the National Civil Aviation Policy has clearly stated in its Article 3.9.2. “In case of domestic airlines, permission of a new air service operation shall be granted in such a way that regional hub airports shall act as their base and air services are operated in remote areas.”

In this regard, besides making profit airlines too should think of the people who are in dire need of their services — let us join hands for the success of STOL flights.