After a six-month-long flight suspension and being unsuccessful in resuming flights due to the COVID pandemic, Nepal has finally revised the date for the new airport.
The Nepal Government removed the nationwide lockdown on July 21. In addition, the notice was released mentioning that domestic and international flights would be resumed on August 17. However, with the rise of coronavirus cases and the increased death toll, the Government is compelled to suspend the resumption of flights.
Moreover, the second lockdown phase is implemented from August 19 at midnight until September 2.
Amidst the Corona crisis and second phase lockdown, the Civil Aviation Authority Nepal released a notice regarding the resumption of long-distance flights from September 1. After plenty of long meetings and discussions, the government finally lifted the international flight suspension and granted permission to eight countries. The flight schedule has been finalized via press release. Keeping the crisis the focal point, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has implemented emergency flight resumption from September 1 for a month.
According to the notice, two Nepalese airlines have been granted permission to conduct 29 international flights. Nepal Airlines will conduct 17 flights, and Himalaya Airlines will conduct 12 flights. A total of 32 flights are granted for International airlines.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation selected eight different countries to be connected with Nepal directly via flights. The designated domestic and international flights will be flying to and from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey.
International flights from China were the first to be prohibited in Nepal as the coronavirus pandemic broke out there. Tribhuwan International Airport will be opened for Chinese airlines from three cities. Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu are the cities with the fewest cases of coronavirus. Respected cities will be connected with Nepal via China Southern and Air China.
Meanwhile, Cathay Dragon from Hong Kong, Korean Air from South Korea, and Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur got permission to fly to Nepal. Etihad and Fly Dubai from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul will connect to Nepal.
Besides International flights, the Nepal Government has permitted 27 Nepalese chartered flights throughout September. The main objective of domestic chartered flights is to rescue Nepalese nationals stranded in those eight countries. The flights are scheduled for three cities in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah. Also, Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines will travel to the Maldives, Japan, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar in September.
Who can come?
Keeping the emergency step on implementation, the Government has banned on-arrival visas. Now, one has to obtain visas from the Embassy of Nepal of their respective countries. The Government has allowed the following people to enter Nepal according to the situation’s demands.
- Nepalese Citizen
- Employees of Diplomatic Missions
- Employees of the Development Partnership Administration
- Representatives of International organizations invited by the Nepal Government
What are the protocols to be followed?
As coronavirus cases are increasing rapidly, people entering from foreign countries can be dangerous to the present scenario. However, the Government has published vital protocols to be followed mandatorily by every incoming person.
- A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test negative report obtained within 72 hours before arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport is required.
- Fourteen days of quarantine are mandatory after arrival in Kathmandu.
- People must stay in a seven-day quarantine in designated hotels in Kathmandu, and the remaining seven days can be spent in quarantine in the outside valley.