Kathmandu: The flights scheduled to rescue the Nepalis stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic crisis have been postponed for an indefinite period.
The COVID Crisis Management Centre has sent a circular to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to postpone the flights, citing no arrangement of hotel quarantine for abroad returnees has been made.
Based on the circular, the Tourism Ministry postponed the scheduled chartered flights. The recently held cabinet meeting had decided to repatriate 500 stranded Nepalis from various countries every day via chartered flights from August 17.
As per the decision, Nepal Airlines Corporation and Himalaya Airlines as well as some other international airlines had made schedule to repatriate Nepalis from abroad.
The CCMC had directed the Ministry to postpone the flights, saying no arrangement of hotel quarantine has been made after coronavirus infection started increasing day by day and different local levels have started issuing prohibitory order.
Issuing a notice, the Nepal Airlines said that its all rescue flights have been suspended till next notice.
A wide-body aircraft flew to Dubai carrying 231 passengers from Kathmandu on Monday has returned this morning.
