Sanfebagar Airport closed for five months

Summit Airlines had been flying Sanfebagar-Dhangadhi and Sanfebagar-Nepalganj for about 5 years after going through the contract process. But the contact person of Summit Airlines Sanfebagar, Vijay Kuwar, said that since the first contract from Chait left, no one was found to take another contract.

Summit Air was flying on a charter flight. It was running here by taking a contract from a person and flying it by him," he said, "now it has stopped because the person who took the contract has not been found. Summit Airlines used to charge 5,000 per person for the 17-minute flight from Sanfebagar to Dhangadhi.

After establishing an office in Sanfebagar, Nepal Airlines provided air services to Dhangadhi and Nepalganj for some time, but it could not be regular. Now, Nepal Airlines in Sanfebagar has already opened its office. Dandi Bhatt, a resident of Sanfebagar, said that when there were two operations namely Nepal Airlines and Summit Airlines, the passengers were also able to travel cheaply.

'When both Summit Air and Nepal Airlines were running, the fares from Sanfebagar to Dhangadhi were also reduced. Samit Yer fixed the fare of 3550 till Dhangadhi. At that time, Nepal Airlines fixed the fare at 2850,'' he said. The competition between the two airlines was seen. After that, when Summit started flying alone, the fare went up to 5,000.

Prem Bhat, a local of Mangalsen-5, said that although Summit Air had previously flown from Sanfebagar, the general public could not get tickets. It is like a dream for common people to be able to travel with Summit Airlines. It was taken over by some certain people, but now that has also stopped,' he said, ``to get a ticket, you had to use the power of big people, you had to be a leader.''

He said that Nepal Airlines should fly for the common people in remote areas and should be open to buy tickets. The airport that was destroyed was built at such a cost. People do not get service. The government ship does not come. It is not just because there is an airport in the district,' he said.

Rajendra Kuwar, head of Sanfebagar Municipality, said that although he ran to various agencies to make regular flights of Nepal Airlines from Sanfebagar Airport, no one cared. Summit Airlines was flying. Now that too is closed. It also became expensive when it was run by the private sector. "We have also talked to the Minister of Tourism several times about flying the Nepal Airlines plane," he said.

Although the airport has been closed for five months, two employees of the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority are receiving regular salaries. According to sources, an office assistant, Tulsi Kuwar, and Chief Krishna Shah, are still receiving salary as employees of Sanfebagar Airport, even though the airport is closed.

'Office chief Krishna Shah has been on leave for a long time. Maybe he was on vacation because there was no work at the airport. An office assistant opens an office,' said a local, 'It is surprising to see the arrangement of the government not sending ships to run the airport, and paying employees without work.' The airport was closed. 13 years after the flight was stopped, on 11th June 2075, Summit Air conducted a test flight at Sanfebagar Airport. Amar Construction was entrusted with the airport paving work for 111.17 million.

Before that, Sanfebagar airfield was converted into a sports ground.