Taplejung. Regular flights have resumed at Suketar Airport in Taplejung after three and a half months.

The Twinotter aircraft of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has resumed regular flights from today at the airport, which has not been operated since June 5 due to bad weather.

According to Dilip Rajbanshi, air traffic controller at Suketar Airport, the aircraft returned to Kathmandu from Suketar carrying 13 passengers and five passengers.

Earlier, the flights were operated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but as per the new schedule, the flights will be operated on Monday, Thursday and Saturday of the week from September 29. The airfare for Kathmandu-Taplejung has been fixed at Rs 12,270 and Taplejung-Kathmandu airfare at Rs 12,070.

Taplejung, which is considered important from the point of view of tourism activities, has been facing various problems in the operation of regular air services. It is said that the flights could not be regularized due to lack of aircraft, technical problems including indication and in some cases lack of passengers.

Due to the lack of regular flights, passengers dependent on air services and tourists coming to the district have been facing problems. Tourists and general public coming to tourist areas like Pathibhara, Kanchenjunga and others are deprived of easy travel due to lack of regular flights.

Locals say that the concerned side should pay attention to create an environment conducive for the private airlines for regular flights.