Buddha and Shree Airlines are planning to add more aircraft to increase passenger service. The two airlines have already sought permission from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation to add four more aircraft in total.
Shree Airlines adding three aircraft
According to Anil Manandhar, corporate manager of Shree Airlines, the airlines plans to purchase three aircraft within three months (by December). Shree Airlines plans to add a Q400 for trunk routes. Shree airlines is adding a 78-seat Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has already permitted for three aircraft.
Shree Airlines plans to add two more aircraft seeing the passenger flow on Dashain. Their plans have been made to bring the aircraft within Daishain and use it for passenger service as necessary preparations have been made to bring the aircraft. Out of the three aircraft being added, two Q400s will be brought immediately, and one will be brought a few months later. As the airline has six aircraft, the number of aircraft flying to its trunk routes will now be nine with the addition of three.
Shree is also preparing for international flights. It is currently allowed for international charter flights. Though plans have been made to operate regular flights from Nepal to India, it has not yet received permission for regular flights. Shree Airlines is adding a Q400 aircraft that can fly regional and international flights.
Buddha Air to add one ATR 72-500
Buddha Air is also adding another ATR 72-500 with a capacity of 72 seats. The aircraft purchased by the airline will arrive in the next three months within December. Buddha currently has 15 aircraft on regular flights. It will add one more aircraft and use 16 aircraft to fly on diffrent routes.
Buddha will have 10 ATR 72 aircraft, three ATR 42 aircraft, and two Beechcraft. Buddha will operate mountain and regional flights from Beechcraft. Buddha has also developed a strategy of using larger aircraft in passenger flights as per demand. Surkhet and Bharatpur are the only airports in the terai areas where ATR 72 aircraft will not be able to take off, and land and all the other destinations will be able to fly easily.
Guna Airlines starts operations in September.
Domestic airline company Guna Airlines is also preparing to provide regular flights. Guna will start flying from seven aircraft, includes two Beechcrafts and five Jetstream J41. It releases the final date by completing the necessary process. Prajwal Thapa, a spokesperson of Guna Airlines and head of market and sales, said that the airline is preparing to resume regular domestic flights from the fourth week of September.
Guna will initially start flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara, Bharatpur, and Tumlingtar. Shortly after the launch, the service will be extended to Simara, Bhairahawa, Janakpur, Nepalgunj, and Biratnagar. Guna has also said it will set reasonable fares for passengers with comparatively excellent service compared to other airlines.
