Kathmandu, Feb.25: Hit by the suspension of the inbound Indian Airlines flight, after the December 24 IC 814 hijack last year, more than one dozen tourism-related organisations today said the travel industry has borne above US$ 1.5 million loss in the last two months. They have also suggested additional Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation flights to Indian cities besides allowing private airlines from both Nepal and India to fly into each other’s country.

“At least 28,400 potential visitors have been denied access to this Himalayan Kingdom due to the withdrawal of Indian Airlines flights,” read a press statement distributed at a press-meet jointly organised by the tourism-related associations here this evening. “In addition, 244 thousand kgs of export cargo have not been able to reach the international markets.”

Speaking during the press meet, heads of tourism-related organisations said that the suspension of the Indian Airlines flights was no less than economic sanction against Nepal and that the official effort to make the flights resume has not been up to the mark. “Despite repeated efforts of Nepal Tourism Board and the private sector and various categorical assurances received from the Indian diplomatic mission in Kathmandu this impasse does not seem to be approaching any positive end,” read the press-statement.

“One of the official moves, at this time of crisis, should be to instruct RNAC to add frequencies to Delhi and to start immediate flight operation to Varanasi and the government should also make the aircraft acquisition for RNAC a national priority.”

The national flag carrier, said Yogendra Shakya, Chairman of Nepal Incentive and Convention Tourism Association (NICA), should be made a safety valve. “The private sector strongly believes that RNAC should be strengthened.” At present, RNAC flies to three Indian cities: New Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta. Soon it will be flying to south Indian city Bangalore as well.

Travel traders equally stressed on allowing the private airlines to fly to Indian cities. More than three years ago, the government had allocated different international routes including Indian cities for around half a dozen private companies — some of those that have already operated in the domestic routes. But, only one of them — Necon Air — has so far started international flights.

“The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) must withdraw the licenses of those private airlines that have failed to fly in the international routes and fresh licenses must be issued to those willing to operate in the international skies,” added the press statement.

“People in the private sector are ready to invest if they are allowed to operate in the international routes,” said Bhola Thapa, President of Nepal Association of Travel Agents. “We have to learn lesson that the cases like Indian Airlines flight suspension can take place in the future as well. So we have to ready ourselves.”

From the day the IC 814 was hijacked in Indian aerospace after it took off from the Tribhuvan International Airport on December 24 last year, Indian Airlines has suspended all its Kathmandu-bound flights. There has been no official statement so far on the resumption of the flights. Indian airlines used to bring in around 30 per cent of the total inbound tourists by air. A little above 420,000 tourists visited Nepal by air last year. Of the total inbound tourists, 30 per cent is estimated to be Indians.