The Airline Operators Association of Nepal has announced a nationwide closure of flight services from Wednesday.
Organizing a press conference in Kathmandu on Tuesday, the Association has announced that it will not operate any of its planes and helicopters from Wednesday.
The decision comes in protest against the government’s new rule that requires different airline companies to park their 55 planes and helicopters at their designated operating bases outside Kathmandu at night.
“We would like to inform that we are compelled to halt emergency rescue and regular flights being provided by all the helicopter and airline companies associated with this association from 22 June, 2022,” says the press statement released by the association.
The government has designated operating bases outside Kathmandu for parking aircraft keeping in view the increasing air traffic at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
According to TIA Spokesperson Teknath Sitaula, the airport has a capacity to hold 17 domestic aircraft but 34 aircraft are being parked there at present.
