KATHMANDU: COVID-19 Crisis Management Center (CCMC) has proposed the High-Level Committee to loosen the lockdown and reopen domestic flights from June 15.

The proposal prepared by CCMC and submitted to the High-Level Coordination Committee for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 has advised reopening domestic flights carrying 40% of its capacity.

The proposal will come into effect only after the High-Level committee approves and the council of Minister ratifies it as well.

As per the proposal, the domestic flights will be allowed to operate from June 15 carrying 40% of their capacity. Once approved, the planes with the capacity of 72 seats will carry only 28 passengers at a time.

However, the airline operators have lambasted the proposal as impractical as that does not cover the regular operation cost of the flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority Nepal has already prepared directives including the regulations the passengers and the airline companies have to abide by once the lockdown is withdrawn.