Sole international airport of the country Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has collected around 550 million Rupees of dues in interval os 11 months. Till mid of December 2018, airport had collected around 500 million and by New Year, the airport collected extra 70 million.
Around 1.5 billion rupees is still left due by various organization operating in the airport and TIA general Manager Rajkumar Chhetri stated that companies have been notified constantly.
Custom Department and Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) are the companies with most due pending. Custom department has around 550 million dues while NAC has around 400 million dues left. NAC has been paying dues in installment basis while Custom department has not paid dues for long time.
The airport collected around 310 million from Air Asia X, 50 million from Himalaya Airline, 30 million from Simrik Air, 10. 8 million from Saurya Airlines, 10.25 million from Thai Airways and from others like parking etc.
Air Asia X has also due of around 210 million and after continues notice from TIA, the airline failed to pay the due and the airport had suspended its flight some months ago however, the airline has left without paying the dues.
Similarly, the airport officials sent letter to Himalaya Airlines, a joint venture of Nepal and China to clear all the dues within a month. The airline was given the ultimatum after the carrier overlooked to clear the pending dues. The carrier which started its international flights with its three aircraft has also been accused of earning extreme profit lately.
Previously, the carrier asked 10 days for clearing of pending dues of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). The carrier paid NRs. 5 Million to TIA on January 12 and requested to give 10 days’ more to clear remaining airport service charges of around NRs. 13.5 crore.
Domestic airline Saurya airline flight operation has also been halted since couple of months as the airline failed to clear dues of 30 million though the airline was notified frequently.
