By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Sept. 22: Domestic flights have resumed from Monday after the suspension of around five months. Both domestic and international flights were suspended from March 22 to control the spread of coronavirus in the country.
According to Airlines Operators' Association Nepal (AOAN), flights have been resumed in almost all sectors, including in the hilly areas, maintaining health safety protocols.
Yog Raj Kandel, spokesperson of AOAN, said that the presence of air passengers was encouraging on the first day's flights after the suspension for months.
He said that the average occupancy in all sector was around 70 per cent in the first day's flights. Passengers taking air service seemed to be alert but fearless of COVID-19 pandemic during the flights, he added.
“As festivals are approaching the doorstep, we are expecting similar occupancies in the coming days too,” Kandel said.
Buddha and Yeti Air have started their flights in almost all sectors while Sita, Tara and Summit Air have also started their services in the hilly areas, he said. Helicopter service has also been resumed, he added.
He said that the number of flights to different destinations will depend on demand. Airlines will add flights in case of increase in the demand, he added.
Spokesperson of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Raj Kumar Chhetry said that the authority had opened its services in all airports managing health safety precautions, including physical distancing, to control the spread of COVID-19.
He said that the CAAN had currently issued limited flight permission, not exceeding 25 per cent of flight permission before the lockdown. This would be effective until September 31, he added. Additional permission will be issued if the condition of COVID-19 pandemic did not deteriorate thereafter, he said.
Though the government had given a green signal to start domestic flights with 50 per cent occupancy from September 17, airlines operators had shown reluctance to operate the flights seeking permission for cent per cent occupancy in flights. Airlines are now allowed to carry passengers with 100 per cent occupancy.