Himalaya Airlines, China joint venture, providing international air services has a due of amount Rs 21 crore to pay to the government for using the services of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
Himalaya Airlines, which has been operating flight services from TIA has to pay Rs 21 crore 42 lakhs 13 thousand for the use of airport facility.
According to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the amount to pay the government of the Himalaya Airlines was due till last fiscal year. The total due statement of the aircraft of the carrier is Rs 14,52,95,210 and Rs 6,89,18,281 for the helicopter, CAAN stated .
Himalaya Airlines has been stubborn to pay the due left though the authority has repeatedly sent letter to the carrier, said one official of CAAN. “The authority is requesting to clear all dues repeatedly,” he said, Other airline companies are paying the charge from time to time he added. A fixed percentage of fines are charged fine as per the Airport Service Charge Regulation 2067, he added.
Previously, TIA warned to ground its 3 A320-200s if the carrier failed to clear pending dues.
Ram Kumar Chhetri, General Manager of TIA stated that the charges date back nearly eight months. GM Chhetri informed that one month ago, TIA asked the airline in written correspondence to clear all the dues.
On January 12, it paid NRs. 5 million (USD 44,058), asking for some more time to clear all dues,” he added.
A follow-up letter was sent off on February 15, again asking Himalaya Airlines to settle its dues or risk the grounding of its fleet of three A320-200s.
GM Chhetri said that TIA authority will take strong actions to recover dues. According to the Airport Service Charge Regulation 2067, the responsibility of collecting airport service charge goes to the chief of the airport who has to submit a statement to head office every month.
Likewise, those who fail to dispatch airport service charge within 60 days from the generation of bill then the airport chief can halt their business whereas in case of airline operators, the flight will be restricted.
In addition, the authority can blacklist the business and airline operators if they fail to pay the airport service charge and act beyond the rules, regulations, and agreement of the authority. In such case, the business and airline operators will be restricted to run any businesses at the airport.
Previously because of failure of paying pending dues, Management Committee of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) had halted all flights of Saurya Airlines from December 6, 2018. TIA halted all of the carriers operation since the airline was unable to pay the dues which now is in operation after clearing maximum portion of its pending dues.
Presently H9 operates to five destinations – Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur. The airline proudly owns a young fleet of 3 Airbus A320-214 series of narrow-body aircraft with the configuration of 8 Premium Economy class & 150 Economy class seats.
