KATHMANDU, Sept 26: Officials at Lukla's Tenzing Hillary Airport, including the chief and the duty manager, are facing repercussions for their decision to open the airport during unfavorable weather conditions.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has confirmed that both employees have been reassigned due to their breach of protocol by permitting the airport to operate on a Sunday against established norms.
Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon on May 29
An employee from CAAN clarified that the Tenzing Hillary Airport operates under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), necessitating a minimum visibility of five kilometers and no clouds below a height of 1,500 meters. However, it was discovered that the airport was opened in conditions that did not meet these criteria.
Reportedly, the airport allowed passenger planes from Tara Air and Summit Air to land around 11:30 AM on that Sunday. While both aircraft managed to land successfully by navigating through the clouds, the airport's role in creating such a risky situation did not go unnoticed.
The CAAN emphasized that there would be no compromise in holding the authority's staff or the airline company accountable for such actions. Consequently, both airport officials were summoned to Kathmandu within 24 hours, and disciplinary measures have been initiated.
Furthermore, the CAAN has already appointed Umesh Kumar Panthi as the new chief of the Tenzing Hillary Airport.
