KATHMANDU: Employees of the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) have announced protests against the decision to provide ‘self ground handling’ facility to Himalaya Airlines, a foreign-invested private company.
In a statement, Chairman of Nepal Airlines Corporation Employees Association Man Bahadur Kunwar demanded to correct the decision.
The Association in a statement said that the decision to give the ground handling service to the foreign-invested private company is against the nation and national interest.
At a press conference on Monday, the employees have made public the program of working with a black band on Tuesday, picketing and padlocking the office of the Executive Chairman and Board of Directors on Wednesday and picketing the office of the department heads on Thursday.
However, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has already instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) not to implement the self-ground handling facility provided to Himalaya Airlines immediately.
Bhattarai called on CAAN team including Director General Rajan Pokharel at the Ministry to discuss the ground handling facility provided by Himalaya at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
He also instructed authorities not to implement the decision immediately and to study whether Himalaya Airlines has the necessary financial and technical capacity for the same.
According to a high-ranking source in the ministry, CAAN Director General Pokharel had informed Minister Bhattarai that the facility had been provided to Himalaya Air due to the application received from Himalaya Airlines after fulfilling the ground handling instructions.
Minister Bhattarai, on the other hand, has instructed the CAAN officials to seek advice and suggestions from the top leadership of the ministry while taking decisions on issues of national importance.
Earlier, CAAN had decided to provide a self-ground handling facility to Himalaya Airlines. At present, Nepal Airlines is providing ground handling services at the TIA.
Comment