Int’l carriers asked to fly lighter

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal ( CAAN ) has requested all international airlines flying wide-body aircraft to Kathmandu airport to restrict their take-off and landing weight to 196 tonnes until September 30.

The aviation regulator body made such a request to the Airlines Operating Committee Nepal (AOCN) in a meeting held here on Friday. Airlines officials said further updates would be given to AOCN after the completion of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) runway evaluation study being conducted by a Spanish company.

An aircraft has two weight categories—dry operating weight and pay load. Dry operating weight cannot be reduced, but pay load, which has three components—passengers, fuel and cargo—can be brought down.

“Considering the gravity of the situation on the TIA runway, CAAN has responded positively to airlines’ request to not bar wide-body aircraft from landing at the TIA,” said Bharat Kumar Shrestha, the AOCN chairman.

Amid safety concerns after repeated occurrence of cracks on the 46-year-old runway, CAAN had last Monday issued a notice to airlines to find alternatives to their wide-body aircraft (seat capacity above 250) flying into the country’s sole international airport that has a single approach system. CAAN has cited heavy aircraft (up to 299 tonnes) as one of the reasons for the runway to crack very often.

However, the decision was criticised by the travel trade fraternity and freight forwarders association, saying that the move will have multiple effects on the country’s economy. October-November is the peak of Nepal’s festival season and this is the time when thousands of migrant workers and other Nepalis living abroad fly home for Dashain and Tihar.

“As reducing the pay load to 196 tonnes will not affect airlines (except Korean Air and Thai Airways), we will soon ask the airlines to implement the CAAN ’s request so that the runway is not damaged further,” Shrestha said.

As Korean Air and Thai Airways fly Boeing 777, they will be hit the most. Hence, Friday’s meeting decided to make a special request to Korean Air to reschedule its flight to morning or evening and, if possible, change the fleet by bringing in other types of wide-body aircraft. “Thai was also requested to change the fleet type if possible,” airlines officials said. Traffic is thin at the TIA in the mornings and evenings.

Some airlines officials said CAAN ’s decision was harsh as their major business season is almost at hand. However, they said that considering the runway problem and its consequences, they were ready to compromise and restrict their load to some extent.

However, airlines wonder what the report that the Spanish company will prepare by the end of September will have in it. According to CAAN officials, further decision will be taken on the basis of the report to fix the runway problem permanently.

This could also mean closing the airport for international flights for more than three months after September.

As cracks appeared again on the TIA runway on Friday, the airport was closed for 30 minutes to carry out repair works. The airport authority, however, said it did not affect flights too much. A Thai Airways aircraft landing was delayed for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Hotel Association of Nepal met Civil Aviation Minister Ram Kumar Shrestha and CAAN ’s director general Ratish Chandra Lal Suman and requested them to undertake the repair works without affecting flights.