The Cabinet decided on Monday that the airport would be named after Sir Edmund Hillary, who died last month aged 88, and his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay, Tourism Minister Prithvi Gurung told reporters.

Hillary and Tenzing, a Sherpa, reached the 8,850-metre summit of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953.

Lukla airport, situated at 2,800 metres, serves as the gateway for thousands of trekkers and mountaineers who visit Everest every year.

The Sherpa community reveres Hillary, not just for his landmark climb but also for founding the Himalayan Trust, which has built 27 schools, two hospitals and 12 clinics around Mount Everest.

Thousands of people, mainly Sherpas, have benefited from the trust's projects. -- AP