underfire: Yes the trees are gone. Flew there in 2012. Kathmandu went on a major overhaul with the roads. so a lot of trees are gone.
I think the RNP approach is a great benefit and helps more airliners to fly into kathmandu with lower DA compared to the VOR approach and thus decreasing the delays and diversions.
Most newer aircraft are equipped for RNP but some operators even the National Career the aircrafts are not equipped with the equipment.
But anyway, things are getting better. I flew for four years in Nepal. I guess we flew so often in nepal and mostly little aircraft, that everything seemed easy and became second nature. Flying into kathmandu is so much easier then flying into Lukla.