June 21: The Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has warned of suspending all domestic flights from June 22 if the government fails to address the long-term problems faced by the country’s aviation sector.

The umbrella body of airline companies of Nepal has forwarded a 5-point demand to the government and urged it to address them immediately.

The airline operators said that they will suspend flights if their demand is not addressed. 

Organising a press conference in the capital on Tuesday, AOAN unveiled the 5-point demand and warned of suspending all flights from Wednesday if the government fails to address them.

One of the major demands of the association is to revoke the hike in passenger service charge, and other charges related to landing, parking, navigation among others provisioned in the Airport Service Charge Regulation 2078.

AOAN has also demanded a permanent helipad for operating helicopter service at the Tribhuvan International Airport and space for a hangar for the repair and maintenance of aircraft.

The association has also demanded the government to take immediate steps to remove Nepal from the blacklist of European Union. AOAN has concluded that the EU’s decision to blacklist Nepal on the pretext of aviation safety has affected the tourism sector of the country.