Kathmandu, June 8 (IANS) The Nepal government has clarified that the Himalayan country was yet to allow commercial chartered flights during the ongoing suspension of international flights enforced since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By issuing a notice on Saturday evening, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said that it has noticed that some international airlines have commenced booking for commercial passenger flights to and from Nepal, reports Xinhua news agency.
“As you know Nepal has suspended all commercial flights other than repatriation flight. Permission to operate passenger repatriation flights requires procession through diplomatic channel,” the notice states.
Citing this provision, the CAAN asked the international airlines to refrain from booking for schedule or passenger chartered flights originating or with destination to Nepal.
Last week, the government had extended thee suspension of international flights till June 30 as a part of preventing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal.
Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation told Xinhua on Sunday that the notice was issued to ensure compliance of the government’s decision.
“Another reason behind issuing such notice is that we found some international airlines issuing tickets directly from different parts of the world at exuberant fair for chartered flights from or to Nepal without taking approval from the Nepali government,” he said.
“They took such step as we have not allowed any Nepali travel agencies to issue tickets of airlines.”
–IANS
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