Flights disrupted at Lukla for ten days, tourists stressed out

Solukhumbu, June 18: The disruption of flight at the Tenzing Hillary Airport, Lukla have stressed out the tourists.

Adverse weather caused disruption of flight for ten days. The tourists visiting the Khumbu region have been badly affected by the inconvenience in air service.

Air controller at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAN) at Lukla, Divas Dahal, informed that the fog and poor visibility disturbed air services. Both the aeroplanes and helicopters were not able to conduct flights since June 8.

"It is the time the foreign tourists retuned to Kathmandu after travel to the Sagarmatha area. The number of tourists leaving the district is more than arrivals. But adverse weather took a toll on air service," Dahal added. All flight schedules are cancelled for ten days. Thick fog has caused poor visibility.

However, Dahal informed that some helicopters were operated from Surke helipad located down Lukla. Geographical specificity is a problem for Lukla where dense fog occurs frequently this season, according to him.

Surke is relatively clear. Similarly, after four-hour trek down the Lukla airport, the travellers can get vehicles for Kathmandu. It is also the option for the tourists to ride from Thamdanda to Kathmandu in jeep.

Thamdanda lies 70-km away from Salleri bazaar, district headquarters of Solukhumbu. Rs 2,000 per person is the fare in a jeep ride from Salleri to Kathmandu, a 275-km distance.