KATHMANDU, Jun 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Nepali government decided to reopen international flights to more foreign destinations and partially resume domestic flights, a senior government official said yesterday.
A cabinet meeting decided, on Monday, to allow flights to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, Buddhisagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said.
The move came, as the Kathmandu Valley went into lockdown for another week, with eased restrictions yesterday, as new COVID-19 infections declined for weeks, in the Himalayan country, amid a second wave of the pandemic.
Earlier, Nepal reopened flights to India, China, Turkey and Qatar. Flight frequencies to Turkey and Qatar have been increased as per the new decision.
Lamichhane said, his ministry would decide today, when the international flights for the new destinations would be allowed. “Possibly, international flights to new destinations will be allowed later this week or early next week,” he added.
According to Nepal’s cabinet decision, one to four flights a week have been allowed to and from different destinations.
Domestic flights have been suspended since early May. Under the cabinet decision, domestic flights will be operated on the basis that, no more than half of the total domestic flights in normal days will take place.
“Domestic flights may be allowed to resume from early next week,” said Lamichhane.
In case of China, the Nepali government decided to allow two flights a week to Chengdu and Guangzhou, respectively. Lamichhane said, the destinations may be changed based on consultations with the Chinese side.– NNN-XINHUA
