Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has cancelled its major flights due to the escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran in the Middle East and the latest attack in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
KATHMANDU: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has suspended its flights to Dubai and Dammam due to insecurity caused by Iran carrying out missile and drone attacks in different parts of the UAE on Monday evening.
The Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) said it is continuously monitoring the security situation and the flights scheduled for May 6 and 7 have been canceled. Hundreds of Nepali workers preparing to go abroad to the Gulf countries have been directly affected by this decision. Passengers arriving at the airport are in a state of confusion due to the cancellation of the flight.
Not only Nepal Airlines, but other major airlines of the world have also reduced or suspended their services due to the increased security risk in Dubai’s sky.
Air France and KLM have suspended flights to Dubai and Riyadh until May 10, while Swiss Air has suspended Dubai flights until July 11 while reviewing the security situation. Cathay Pacific has announced that it will cancel flights to Dubai and Riyadh until June 30.
The Lofthansa Group has cancelled all of its subsidiaries Austrian, Italian Airways’ flights to Dubai. Air Canada has suspended flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv until September 7.
Iran launched a deadly attack in the United Arab Emirates on Monday evening, accusing the US side of violating the ceasefire agreement signed on April 8. Iran has fired 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles and 4 drones into the UAE. Most of the missiles were shot down by the UAE’s defense system, causing some damage. Iran’s drone attack has set fire to a petroleum industry facility in Fujairah. Three Indian nationals were injured in the incident and are undergoing treatment at a hospital, officials said.
Since its offensive began on February 28, 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and more than 2,260 drones have been fired into the UAE.
World leaders have condemned the escalating violence in the Middle East. Despite negotiations for a peace proposal, the bitterness of the war has not subsided, making international air routes unsafe, which is directly affecting the citizens of countries dependent on labor destinations like Nepal.
