Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority rejects national park's ban on commercial choppers over Everest

Kathmandu: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has objected to a notice issued by the Sagarmatha National Park authorities restricting helicopters from flying over the national park for commercial purposes.

“Our serious attention has been drawn to the notice issued by the national park authorities to impose total restriction on commercial helicopters from flying in the Khumbu region, the gateway to the Mount Everest, in the name of checking sound pollution and protection of environment and wildlife in the region,” the CAAN said in a statement.

"The park authorities have no right to restrict flying of helicopters over the national park region as the rights to takeoff and land aircraft solely lies with the CAAN," the statement said.

The CAAN also directed all the helicopter companies to continue their operations as usual in the national park area.

Flights in the Sagarmatha region have been popular among tourists for sight-seeing purposes. Sagarmatha National Park is also a popular trekking destination, where nearly 30,000 foreign tourists visited last year.

Meanwhile, the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has made it clear that helicopter companies are operating their flights as per the rules and regulations made by the CAAN.

“We have asked all the helicopter companies to continue their flight operations in the national park area as usual," AOAN president Manoj Karki said.

Nepal Tourism Board CEO Deepak Joshi said, “National parks cannot halt flights that are being operated in the Everest region as the helicopter companies have been operating their flights abiding by the Civil Aviation Authority.”

“The helicopters have been booked by the tourists even a year or more in advance and the cancellation of flights will damage our credibility," he added.

"There should be an extensive discussion among all the stakeholders before making any change in the existing rules relating to flying over protected areas," Joshi said.

The officials of the Sagarmatha National Park were not available for comment.