Government to resume regular international flights from September 1

 The government has decided to resume regular international flights from September 1.

The planned commercial international flights will bring home stranded Nepali nationals abroad, informed finance minister and minister for Communication and Information Technology Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, who is also the spokesperson of the government. 

“The cabinet meeting yesterday evening decided to resume regular international flights from September 1,” he said, adding that the regular international flights from the countries where PCR test facility is easily accessible will start immediately.

The schedules of the flights will be prepared by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA). “Those wanting to fly back home must produce a PCR test report conducted within 72 hours,” he said, adding that the government plans to bring in 500 Nepali nationals home a day. “All Nepali nationals returning home from such flights must stay in hotel quarantine for seven days upon their arrival in Kathmandu.”

The concerned airline operators should bear the cost of keeping all passengers in quarantine facilities, if passengers, who have not undergone PCR tests, are brought along with other passengers in the same flight, Dr Khatiwada added.

Earlier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) aircraft – on Sunday – had returned empty from Dubai after the government abruptly suspended all flights on the very first day of the fifth phase of repatriation. The aircraft had carried 235 passengers and 15 tonnes of cargo from Kathmandu to Dubai, while it returned home without any passengers or cargo after the government suddenly imposed the decision on Wednesday. The passengers, who had already booked their tickets, were enraged with the government's abrupt decision after they were left stranded at the airport.

Himalaya Airlines to operate two repatriation flights to Kunming

Himalaya Airlines is operating two repatriation flights to Kunming of China on July 31.
The company – issuing a press note today – said that it is carrying out the repatriation flights to bring back Nepalis, who are stranded in Kunming of China due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government has permitted and authorised the airliner to carry out repatriation flights to Kunming, the press note reads, adding that two aircraft will be sent to China to bring Nepalis, who want to return Nepal. “The passengers will be allowed to bring 30-kg check-in baggage and 7-kg hand carry.”
The airliner has fixed $445 fare for the respective flights.
Meanwhile, the airline company said that it will operate the flights only, if the aircraft has 85 per cent occupancy. All passengers are required to present proof that their PCR or RDT test is negative at the time of the booking, the press note reads, adding that the passengers will have to mandatorily stay in quarantine upon arrival as per the rules enforced by the government.
The airline has evacuated Nepalis stranded abroad since the government announced the guidelines to bring back Nepalis wanting to come back home. Covid-19 has left many Nepali migrant workers jobless abroad including in China. Though the government has been repatriating stranded Nepalis from different countries through special charter flights, Nepal is resuming regular aviation service – both domestic and international flights – from August 17. The government had suspended all domestic and international flights from March 22 to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country. 

French Embassy helps repatriate 390 including French nationals

The French Embassy today helped repatriate a flight -- the third one -- from Kathmandu to Paris for the French nationals, their families and other European and non-European nationals in a special flight chartered by the French Government.
According to a press note issued by the French Embassy in Kathmandu, this is the third repatriation flight and a total of 309 passengers departed in the French government chartered flight today carrying 110 French nationals and more than 190 European and other non-European nationals.
This repatriation flight played another key role: it brought 3,000 German made PCR-test kits which are part of the German support to Nepal on its fight against Covid-19, it reads. 
"The French Embassy is committed to the main mission of ensuring the welfare of its citizens abroad during hard times in close coordination with the local authorities to whom this Embassy is very grateful”, said French ambassador to Nepal François-Xavier Léger, during the repatriation process.
Earlier, many foreign diplomatic missions including the US Embassy, German Embassy, Australian Embassy have also repatriated their citizens with special flights.