Two passengers were fined NPR 100,000 each for unauthorized opening of the emergency doors on Buddha Air flights. The airline announced that the fines collected were donated to charitable organizations, with NPR 100,000 each given to Mahaganga Aarti-Gangasagar in Janakpurdham and the Pokhara Old Age Home.
The first incident occurred on January 1 during flight preparations for a Pokhara-Kathmandu journey (flight 618). A passenger opened the emergency door, delaying the flight by approximately three hours as a technical team conducted safety checks. The aircraft eventually departed for Kathmandu at 6:40 p.m.
The second incident took place on October 10 on a flight originally scheduled to depart Kathmandu for Janakpur at 6:05 a.m. Due to adverse weather in Janakpur, the plane diverted to Biratnagar. Once conditions improved, the plane resumed its journey, but a passenger opened the emergency door while the aircraft was taxiing. This required the plane to return to the parking area for inspection, causing significant disruptions to the flight schedule.
In both cases, the passengers were handed over to airport security and released only after paying the fines. Buddha Air emphasized that such actions jeopardize flight safety, despite pre-flight instructions provided by crew members regarding the use of emergency doors.
The airline stated that, in the future, fines collected from similar incidents will be donated to charitable organizations located at the flight’s destination. Buddha Air also highlighted the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act of 2015, which imposes severe penalties, including imprisonment, for actions that disrupt air traffic or compromise safety.
By making these donations, Buddha Air aims to mitigate the consequences of such incidents while reinforcing its commitment to flight safety and community welfare.
