Domestic flights resume after six months

Kathmandu, September 21

Nepal has resumed its domestic flight service suspended for the past six months due to the Covid-19 fears, from Monday.

A Nepal Airlines Corporation aircraft left Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu for Bhojpur at 7 am today being the first aeroplane to have conducted a regular domestic flight since March 24.

However, the resumption has not been full-fledged yet as the government has planned to limit the number of flights to 25 per cent of the normal so as to avoid crowds at airports and other places which could increase the infection of the coronavirus.

For the next nine days, only 25 per cent of the regular flights will be allowed to operate. On Monday, there will be 43 flights in total, informs Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

Aviation officials say another decision about the number of flights will be made after considering the flow of passengers and the level of Covid-19 risks, according to aviation officials.

Yet, the government has already compromised previously announced safety measures as it agreed that the airline companies can carry passengers at their full capacity on any aircraft. Earlier, the passenger ceiling was fixed at 50 per cent.