KATHMANDU : More than 90 percent occupancy has been recorded in domestic flights, which have been operating amidst the COVID-19 pandemic since September 21 whilst adopting health safety precautions.
Airlines companies operating domestic flights are providing air service by following the health safety protocols, while adding the number of flights targeting the upcoming big festivals like Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath.
According to these companies, the first week since the resumption of domestic flights has been encouraging, as people have found travelling by air to be safer than by land as air travel is quicker. The government had decided to resume domestic flights from September 21.
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is preparing to increase the number of domestic flights from October 1. The civil aviation regulatory body has already decided to increase the international flights on September 1. Giant airline companies like Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines and others operating domestic flights have an encouraging occupancy rate, at more than 90 percent.
The airlines companies have applied to CAAN to allow them to increase the number of flights in view of the big festivals which are drawing closer.
CAAN deputy director general Raj Kumar Chhetri said they have decided to increase the number of domestic flights and the number of additional flights allotted to particular airlines would be decided by the evening today. The domestic airlines companies are operating flights to all destinations in limited numbers.
