The Civil Aviation Authority Nepal (CAAN) has taken action against Thai AirAsia, suspending all flights to Nepal with immediate effect.
However, the airline’s flight to Kathmandu from Thailand was finally allowed to land at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) after being kept ‘on hold’ for around an hour in the sky, according to the aviation regulatory body. It was allowed to land, citing reasons of the safety of the passengers and on humanitarian grounds.
Authority’s Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul confirmed that the CAAN had suspended all flights of Thai AirAsia for the time being. The Airlines’ GSA (General Sales Agent) has been scrapped. The flight permit for Thai AirAsia was effective only up to October 26.
In this light, today’s flight has been permitted to operate as a ‘special chartered’ flight. This action came in the wake of the TIA implementing winter schedules for flights from October 27, 2024, which is valid up to March 31, 2025.
Earlier this year in August month, Thai Air Asia was granted permission to operate four flights in a week from Bhairahawa to Thailand, in the wake of Nepal trying to fully utilize Pokhara and Bhairahawa international airports for international flights.
By Sweta Singh (Kathmandu)