Tourists in trouble as adverse weather continues to disrupt flights in Lukla

SOLUKHUMBU, Sept 4: Tourists continue to be affected by the disruption of flights to and from Tenzing- Hillary Airport also known as Lukla Airport based in Lukla of Solukhumbu since the past five days due to adverse weather.

Thick fog and rains have forced the airlines companies to cancel flights since last Wednesday. It was able to operate just two flights on Sunday morning in the past six days, according to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Lukla chief Bachchu Narayan Shrestha.

On Sunday, various airlines companies booked for a total 16 flights from the airport. Because of the disruption of flights, tourists on the way to Lukla have got stuck in Kathmandu while those planning to return after visiting Khumbu region are waiting for the resumption of flights.

The disruption of flights has made business community here worried, said local businessman Jangbu Sherpa.
Khubmu, the famous tourist destination here attracts around 35 thousand tourists every year and among them, over 90 percent use the Lukla Airport for arrivals and departure as this is more convenient route than a trekking, and the land routes to reach the site.

There is no better option for tourists than to travel by plane. It takes at least three days to walk up to meet a nearby road from Lukla. Bearing this in mind, the construction of a road from Salleri to Surke that lies below Lukla, was started five years ago, but a one-third progress is still awaited. RSS