National flag carrier flying stranded Australians back home

1 April Kathmandu : The Nepal Airline’s wide-body aircraft is flying the Australians stranded in Nepal back to their country today. The national carrier’s aircraft Airbus 330 is scheduled to take off today at 5:30 pm from the only international airport in the country, Tribhuvan International Airport, to Australia via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It is for the first time the NA’s wide-body aircraft of this model is flying on such a long route. The flight from Nepal to Australia with transit in Malaysia would be of 13 hours, informed NA’s Operation Department’s Chief Dipu Jaharchan. Altogether 250 Australians along with some New Zealanders will be onboard the chartered aircraft with 24 member of crew, informed Maharjan. The aircraft will fly back Nepal on Thursday night.

Various foreign diplomatic missions in Kathmandu had coordinated with the government of Nepal to rescue their citizens stranded in various tourist destinations across Nepal following the nationwide lockdown enforced in the country to prevent the possible outbreak of COVID-19.