BB Airways seeks permission from CAAN to dismantle its Boeing 757

-KATHMANDU

BB Airways, a private international airline owned by Bhawan Bhatta, is seeking permission from sole aviation regulatory body Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to dismantle its vintage Boeing 757-2F8 ‘9N-ACA’ as it has not been able to obtain an air operator’s certificate (AOC) despite getting its license renewed to begin commercial service. Though the company committed to begin its service from 2012 after receiving operation approval but could not continue due to the unavailability of aircraft which then led to the termination of Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

Deputy Director General (DDG), Rajan Pokhrel informed that the airline has already applied for a formal application to CAA Nepal seeking permission to dismantle the 30 years old Boeing 757 which is a mid-sized, narrow-body twin-engine jet aircraft.

The carriers B757 aircraft parked inside the premises of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has created a hurdle for the airport authority to manage the aircraft despite the less vacate international ramp.  The aircraft now has been parked at approach path of Helicopter inbound North-East of Eastern Helipad, Tribhuvan International Airport and has been creating a hazard at TIA. It can disrupt helicopter operation in an emergency situation.

Aircraft owners have an ongoing burden of ownership as they have been bearing the cost of parking fees, insurance and other types of fees. According to NAC, the monthly accumulated fees could reach Rs3 million. NAC spokesperson Rabindra Shrestha said that BB Airways owed parking and insurance fees for more than a year.

The Boeing 757 ‘9N-ACA’ which has flown for 86410 hours was sold to Bhawan Bhatta for $1.46 million in December 2017. Bhatta who is the investor of hotels, communications, the brewery in Nepal, is also engaged in the aviation sector. In September 2012, BB Airways had leased aircraft from Cambodia’s based Company and had started its scheduled flight from Kathmandu to Malaysia but after the expiry of the lease, the flight stopped.