Flights operated by Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) have been disrupted due to a protest by pilots over unequal service benefits. The dissatisfaction stems from the disparity in benefits between permanent and contract-based pilots, leading to a significant impact on the airline’s operations. “Pilots have not reported to work because of dissatisfaction with receiving unequal service benefits for the same role and aircraft,” a source stated.
On Sunday, a wide-body flight scheduled to depart from Kathmandu to Mumbai at 10:00 AM was delayed by four hours, taking off at 2:00 PM instead. Manoj Kumar Shah, NAC’s Engineering Maintenance Department and spokesperson, confirmed that the delay was due to the ongoing pilots’ protest. He emphasized that the issue of unequal benefits should not be decided unilaterally by NAC and expressed concerns that the situation was beginning to spiral out of control.
NAC spokesperson Shah explained that the airline had submitted a file to the government four months ago in response to the pilots’ concerns. The file, which addresses the issue of unequal service benefits, is currently under review by the Ministry of Finance after passing through the Ministry of Tourism. “Once the Ministry of Finance approves it, the management committee will implement the necessary changes. The corporation cannot act on its own,” Shah clarified.
This issue centers around permanent pilots, who claim that contract pilots for the same aircraft and routes are receiving superior service benefits. Despite ongoing discussions with NAC management, the pilots’ dissatisfaction has persisted. In response, the airline submitted a file to the Ministry of Tourism, which has since been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for further review. The delay in addressing the issue, however, led to increased absenteeism among the permanent pilots.
For the past several days, permanent pilots have not been reporting to work regularly. A senior NAC official stated that while the pilots have not officially declared a strike, many have been using various excuses, including illness and personal issues, to avoid duty. As a result, flight delays have become more frequent, with some pilots being absent at any given time. “On some days, as many as 6 or 7 pilots have been absent, leading to significant disruptions in flight schedules,” the official added.
On Sunday, passengers on a delayed narrow-body flight expressed frustration over the delay. Many became aggressive due to the extended wait despite having already paid for their tickets. The situation escalated until NAC staff intervened, calming passengers and taking them to the lounge for discussions. “Some passengers were upset, but after a series of talks, the situation was brought under control,” spokesperson Shah said.
In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) reported that a Hong Kong-bound flight on Friday morning was delayed by five hours when the captain called in sick at the last minute. Regarding the delays on Sunday, CAAN has advised NAC to address the issue and ensure timely departures to avoid further inconvenience to passengers.
The ongoing conflict between pilots and NAC began to intensify after 12 pilots from both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft took sick leave on October 18. This was in response to the lack of action on their demands for improved service benefits. Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey had promised a one-month period to resolve the matter, but no progress was made, leading to the mass absenteeism and subsequent flight disruptions.
