Kathmandu, June 4
Once again, the European Union has continued its ban on airline companies registered in Nepal to fly in EU countries. In an updated air safety list, all companies of Nepal have been included.
The European Commission’s decision to blacklist the country has barred aircraft belonging to Nepali airline companies from the European skies since 2013.
Of late, the EU has demanded that the government of Nepal unbundle the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) into two units looking after regulation and management respectively.
Under pressure, the government had drafted a bill to effect unbundling in 2019. However, the bill has not been endorsed yet owing to different issues.
Nepal’s national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation, has been worst hit by the ban. The NAC officials say they are in effort to expand the corporation’s destinations, but many countries are reluctant citing the EU ban.
