Pokhara, December 18
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has suspended paragliding flights in Pokhara. The decision was made following a dispute that arose when the authority assigned a company the responsibility of determining the fees for paragliding flights.
The Nepal Airsports Association (NAA), the umbrella organisation of paragliding professionals, had been responsible for setting fees and implementing a turn system. However, since Friday, after NAA delegated all the rights to the relevant companies on Wednesday, over a hundred pilots have initiated a protest, expressing their disagreement with the decision.
Some businessmen, expressing their disagreement with NAA, demanded that all rights should be transferred to the businesses. The institution itself relinquished all rights to the businessmen following protests, arguing that it was acting as a syndicate, overseeing everything from fee setting to implementing the alternate system.
Following the NAA’s decision, pilots have discontinued flying, expressing concerns about a potential decrease in facilities, organisational chaos and heightened safety risks due to unplanned fee assessments. The implementation of a one-door system has led to increased disputes between businessmen and pilots.
Gyanendra Bhul, Information Officer of the CAAN, stated that flights have been halted until the issue is resolved to prevent unsafe conditions resulting from disputes.
“Pilots are protesting that fees are not standardised. Businesses are also protesting. There is no other option but to suspend paragliding fights,” said Bhul.
