Trekkers stuck in Manthali as bad weather grounds Lukla flights

KATHMANDU: Adverse weather conditions have left foreign tourists bound for the Everest region stranded in Manthali, the district headquarters of Ramechhap, with Lukla-bound flights disrupted for the past five days.

Over 200 flights to Lukla from Manthali have been canceled since Saturday, according to the Civil Aviation Office, Ramechhap. While some tourists have left for Lukla by chartering helicopters, not all can afford expensive helicopter flights. Inclement weather, however, is making the operation of even chopper flights difficult.

Seven aircraft from Summit Air, Yeti Airlines, and Sita Air are on standby at Manthali Airport ready for take off as soon as the weather clears, according to the office.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) allows airline companies to operate Lukla flights only from Manthali Airport during peak season, citing traffic congestion at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Consequently, companies transport tourists from Kathmandu to Manthali by road – a journey that takes approximately five hours.

This flight disruption during the peak tourist season in the Everest region, which typically commences in September and extends through late December, is affecting not only foreign tourists but also local people as they depend on air service for their everyday essentials. Local people also bemoan the loss of business as bad weather has left trekkers stranded at Manthali Airport.

Trekkers on the Everest Base Camp trek spend more than 10 days in different settlements on the trail to the base camp.

(With inputs from RSS)