Solukhumbu. A plane took off from Faplu Airport in the tourist district of Solukhumbu after 17 days today. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (FANP) announced that the flight, which had been suspended since May 26 due to adverse weather, took off on Wednesday after 17 days.
According to senior officer of the authority, Ayush Thapa, a Twin Otter aircraft of Nepal Airlines Corporation (Nepal Airlines) successfully flew from Kathmandu to Faplu on Wednesday and returned to Kathmandu.
Although the plane arrived in Faplu with 12 passengers, the plane returned to Kathmandu with 10 passengers, official Thapa informed. Since the weather in the region keeps changing, flights are often suspended for long periods. The airport was closed for 17 days due to rain and thick fog that began in late June.
Local Padam Shrestha said that it was difficult to send patients with serious conditions and the disabled who could not be treated at the district hospital to Kathmandu. Local health workers say that the lives of patients with serious conditions are at risk due to the suspension of flights.
Local Pemba Sherpa said that patients who were ‘referred’ to Kathmandu could not be sent by plane and had to be sent by car to Okhaldhunga and Biratnagar after spending hours.
While Lukla is the main gateway for tourists visiting the Everest region, Phaplu is considered an alternative destination. Travel entrepreneur Mingmar Sherpa said that tourists who were planning to reach Lukla via Phaplu are changing their plans due to the weather disruption.
Regular flight schedule limited to paper
Currently, private airlines other than Nepal Airlines do not have regular flight schedules at Phaplu Airport near the district headquarters. Private airlines have not included regular flight schedules as the weather continues to be adverse and there are not enough passengers.
Nepal Airlines has scheduled flights to Kathmandu-Phaplu on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays a week. However, passengers have been affected when those flights are disrupted due to the weather. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), flights to Faplu can operate on an average of only 10/12 days per month.
On the other hand, Nepal Airlines currently has a limited number of Twin Otter aircraft operating to Faplu. The CAAN has stated that the schedule is also affected due to the condition of the engine, lack of pilots and other technical reasons.
The road distance from Faplu to Kathmandu is about 275 kilometers, but that road is still not completely suitable for vehicles. The roads in the Sindhuli, Khurko and Kavre areas of the BP Highway are dangerous due to landslides, making it difficult for the district residents to travel to and from the federal capital Kathmandu.
Local Bimala Rai said, ‘Going by road is like torturing the body.’ It seems like traveling is impossible if you are sick.’ Local level people’s representatives have been drawing the government’s attention to regularizing air services. Chief District Officer Anoj Kumar Ghimire said, ‘Regular flights are impossible due to the weather, but we are working with army helicopters and private airlines as an alternative. Due to the lack of aircraft, patients, mothers and other essential government work have to suffer a lot.’
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