With favorable weather conditions at Lukla Airport, a total of 690 tourists stranded at Kathmandu and Ramchehap’s Manthali Airport have finally been able to fly out. The tourists had been stuck for two days due to adverse weather conditions.
According to Vishwa Dahal, an Air Traffic Control officer at Lukla, 600 tourists disembarked at Manthali and 90 at Kathmandu today. A total of 70 helicopter flights were conducted, transporting 350 tourists, while 22 flights brought in 340 tourists via airplane.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has arranged flights for foreign tourists coming to the Khumbu region from Manthali Airport to Lukla. On Sunday, data from the authority indicated that 800 tourists arrived in Lukla through 90 flights. Most tourists begin their trekking journeys from Lukla, as there are no roads leading directly to this region, making air travel the primary mode of transportation.
Lukla Airport has been operational since 1971 and is situated at an elevation of 2,800 meters above sea level. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the runway is 527 meters long and 20 meters wide, making it shorter than many other airports. Due to the short runway, “overshoot” landings are not possible.
Source: RSS
