Despite the government’s decision to open regular flights to China, it has not been implemented. Airlines have been reluctant to fly during the epidemic due to ‘reluctance’. Despite the recent decline the number of infected people, the infection and morality rate still high. China has kept Nepal as a ‘red zone’. The government had decided to open flights to China, Qatar and Turkey on May 27.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has said that no airlines want to fly to China even though regular flights to Qatar and Turkey have started. “We are open to flying. No airlines have claimed to fly,” said Buddhisagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the ministry. The government has said that and Chinese airline, including Himalayan Airlines, will be allowed to fly in China.
As per the decision of the cabinet l, Turkish Airlines has got permission for Kathmandu-Istanbul flight. Turkish Airlines has started flights every Thursday. Nepal Airlines has been allowed to fly Kathmandu-Doha. Nepal Airlines is scheduled to reach Doha on Monday night and return to Nepal on Tuesday. On Monday Qatar Airways has received permission to arrive and depart from Nepal in the morning.
Nepal Airlines and Air India have been flying under the Nepal-India Air Bubble Agreement. Nepal Airlines has been flying Kathmandu-Delhi every Wednesday while Air India has been allowed to fly Delhi-Kathmandu on Friday. Rajkumar Chhetri, Deputy Director General of Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, said that China would send the name of one of airlines after Nepal decided to open the flight.
Chhetri said that even Himalayan Airlines has not submitted a claim to the ministry for regular flights, adding that there is no possibility of flights to China unless the airlines claim to operate regular flights. According to another official of the authority, one has to stay in China more than 3 weeks. The arrival protocol of the Chinese government is very cumbersome. So new passengers from outside do not want to go to China except for the most urgent.
Despite the decision to open flights from Nepal, it is unlikely that China will immediately launch passenger flights.
According to Nepal khabar Online, Himalayan Airlines, which carries daily China-Nepal cargo in the midst of the ban, has said that even if it gets permission to operate regular flights, there will be no passengers. Himalayan Airlines Vice President Vijay Shrestha said there would be no passengers as they would have to stay in China far more than three weeks. The companies have said that it is difficult to get on both sides despite the formal decision.
By Muna Chand
