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Nepal extends suspension of international flights until April 30

File image: Tribhuvan International Airport is the only international airport of the country.

Kathmandu, April 8

The government of Nepal has decided to continue with the suspension of international flights until April 30 in its bid to control the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Earlier, the suspension was said to be effective until April 15 only.

A meeting of the high-level committee formed to control the coronavirus outbreak made the decision on Tuesday afternoon, according to Narayan Bidari, a secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Despite the suspension, the government will continue to let foreign governments charter flights for evacuating their citizens currently stranded in Nepal. Such chartered aircraft can take off the Kathmandu airport with the passengers but have to return empty.

Likewise, cargo flights will also continue. In particular, the government and some private businesses have also been mobilising the Nepal Airlines Corporation aircraft to fetch various medical equipment necessary for the country’s Covid-19 response from China.

Bidari says the government is yet to decide whether to extend the suspension of domestic flights also. With the announcement of the lockdown, all the domestic flights have also been suspended till April 15.

The official says discussions are underway about the suspension of domestic flights and a decision is expected soon.

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