Guna Airlines a domestic carrier of the country has been striving to resume flights after its suspension by Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) since the first of Falgun, 2079 (February 13, 2023), . The airline now after a year has been finally preparing to resume flights by making installment payments towards airport dues.
However, the CAAN has stated that Guna Airlines will not be allowed to resume flights with the five British Aerospace Jetstream J41 aircraft purchased and operated by the carrier previously. According to sources within the authority, the age of each parts of all five Jetstream aircraft with Guna has exceeded to the maximum limits making the aircraft unsuitable for flight. The authority’s statement is that the airline cannot operate flights with the current aircraft due to their recent poor performance.
The airline’s Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) is suspended for now. Currently, the authority alleges that the airline is only focused on renewing the AOC rather than making necessary changes and coming back into the flight at first.
The airlines for coming back into service now needs a mandatory fleet replacement and fleet modification and submitting proposals to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. Once proposals are received by the ministry, they are then requested for feedback from the authority.
The authority insists that before proceeding with any other processes, the airline must settle all outstanding airport office dues and unpaid amounts owed to various parties. After even the tea shop at the airport claimed unpaid dues of Tea in the name of Guna Airlines came to light, the airline has also been charged with evasion.
“It’s been a year since the flight suspension. Yet, instead of resuming operations, the airline is seen searching for ways to resume flights using the same Jetstream J41 aircraft it planned to operate with initially. It seems they are only playing the game of renewing the AOC rather than doing business by operating flights. In the current situation, even air safety is not guaranteed for resuming flights,” a source from the authority stated.
Despite having five aircraft with Guna Airlines, only two were operational until before the suspension. However, all parts used in those aircraft have expired. The authority also states that it is impossible to make the two Beechcraft 1900C aircraft fit for flight. These aircraft also have their parts and component due that have to be replaced to make the aircraft airworthy to fly again.
