KATHMANDU: Nepal Airlines has dispatched its “narrow-body A320” aircraft to bring stranded passengers from Bhairahawa to Kathmandu via a chartered flight.
Flight RA 1731, which departed Kathmandu carrying 83 passengers, will pick up 151 passengers from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa for return to Kathmandu. The airline noted that the exact number of passengers may vary slightly.
Although flight RA 1732 was scheduled to depart for Kathmandu at 2:45 pm, it took off later than planned, resulting in some delay.
The evacuation flight has been organized under the special initiative of Prime Minister Sushila Karki and coordination by Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, aiming to transport passengers stranded due to ongoing floods and landslides.
Nepal Airlines stated that the evacuation flight follows government directives in response to the country’s adverse weather conditions. The fare for this flight is set at Rs 5,000 from Kathmandu and Rs 7,000 from Bhairahawa.
Priority will be given to vulnerable passengers, including the elderly, sick, and those with urgent travel needs. Pratap Babu Tiwari, General Manager of Gautam Buddha International Airport, said that a significant number of passengers are waiting in Bhairahawa, and while some airlines have added flights, passenger demand remains very high.
“Many passengers are waiting at the airport. Aircraft seats are limited. Additional flights have been arranged to transport as many passengers as possible,” Tiwari added.
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