KATHMANDU: The interim government’s plan to select the new Managing Director of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) through open competition has yet to be officially announced.

However, even before the decision has been made public, the composition of the proposed selection committee has already stirred controversy.

According to sources, Captain Kul Bahadur Limbu is likely to be included as an expert member of the committee. Limbu, however, has a checkered history with the national flag carrier. He was previously removed from the post of NAC’s General Manager following a dispute with the then minister overseeing the corporation—a dismissal that was formally endorsed by the Cabinet.

Limbu’s flying career also came under scrutiny after the Chinese-made Y-12 aircraft he commanded crashed while landing at Nepalgunj Airport. Following the incident, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) found human error to be the primary cause, suspended his pilot license, and barred him from solo flights. Subsequently, NAC terminated its contract with him.

A senior captain and former general manager, Limbu had signed a contract with the corporation to operate the Chinese-made Y-12 aircraft. Previously, he had flown Boeing 757s on international routes, but after NAC phased out its Boeing fleet and transitioned to Airbus aircraft, he was reassigned to the domestic Y-12 fleet as a mark of respect for his seniority.

In recent years, however, Limbu has become increasingly active in politics. He currently serves as a senior leader of the Rastriya Matribhumi Party — a small nationalist outfit he joined after leaving the corporation. His visible political involvement, from public programs to social media activity, has raised concerns over whether he can objectively serve as an “independent expert.”

Limbu has also filed a lawsuit seeking financial compensation and other benefits from NAC, a case still pending in court. Aviation observers say this ongoing legal dispute poses a clear conflict of interest if he were to be appointed to the selection panel.

Critics further point out that the existing Nepal Airlines Act contains no provision for appointing an Executive Chairman through open competition.

The government’s attempt to involve politically affiliated or legally entangled individuals under the label of “independent experts” has therefore drawn increasing public skepticism and concern about transparency in the national carrier’s leadership process.