Former tourism ministers for splitting CAAN into regulatory, service entities

KATHMANDU: Former tourism ministers have emphasized the need to unbundle the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) into service provider and regulatory entities.

Speaking at a discussion organized by the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey in Kathmandu on Friday, they said that CAAN should no longer be allowed to carry out both functions.

Pandey organized the discussion to gain insights from the experience of former ministers for overall improvements in the aviation sector.

In the meeting, the former ministers said that plane crashes in Nepal occur due to human, technical and weather-related factors. While human and technical issues can be addressed, they said crew members and ground staff must be updated about weather conditions. They also said blame should not be placed solely on deceased pilots after accidents.

They asked Minister Pandey to make amendments to the existing law, if necessary, to ensure that the regulatory and service functions of CAAN are separated. Likewise, they also advised caution against lower-level staff intimidating high-ranking officials under political protection.