Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has announced that passengers stranded due to flight delays caused by pilot protests have been transported to their destinations. The disruptions affected nearly half a dozen flights on Sunday, leaving hundreds of passengers inconvenienced.
According to NAC spokesperson Ramesh Paudel, flights to major international destinations, including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Dubai, were impacted. Stranded passengers were later accommodated, with flights to Mumbai completed on Sunday night and those to Dubai resumed on Monday morning.
The disruption stemmed from pilots taking leave en masse to demand better facilities. Spokesperson Paudel assured that NAC’s management is addressing the pilots’ concerns in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, and the Ministry of Finance. He expressed optimism about resolving the issue soon.
The protests, which began on Mangsir 6, escalated on Mangsir 8, disrupting operations. Out of NAC’s 43 captains, eight have reportedly participated in the protest. NAC operates two wide-body and two narrow-body aircraft for international flights.
The disruptions have not only caused significant financial losses but also harmed NAC’s reputation, noted Acting Director of Operations Dipuraj Jwarchan in a statement. The management has urged all pilots to resume flights as per their assigned rosters, emphasizing that any losses incurred will be addressed as per regulations.
NAC highlighted that updates on pilots’ facilities have been communicated at various stages, and the matter is under process with the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation.
NAC reiterated its commitment to minimizing disruptions and restoring its operations to normalcy. With ongoing discussions, it aims to prevent further financial losses and uphold its reputation as the national flag carrier.