Suresh Acharya, Secretary General of Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation informed that both countries agreed to review the air service agreement in last week of March but Japan government cancelled the proposal showing lack of time.
According to the source, Ministry will set the time of negotiations only after the positive response from the Japan.
In the agreement, it was mentioned that the Nepalese airlines could only operate Boeing 727 and Boeing 757 aircraft.
Nepalese airlines got green signal for operating at all airport of Japan except Haneda recently. According to the old agreement, the newly arriving Airbus 330 of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) will not be able to operate flights to Japan as it has to wait for the approval. Moreover, the agreement to operate minimum 14 flights in a week by Nepalese carriers has been postponed.
Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, Joint secretary of Ministry stated that Japan has hesitated to do air service agreement after the US-Bangla plane crash in Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). However, Japan is positive about the agreement, he added. Nepal has demanded for permission to operate flights to other cities of Japan.
Earlier, in February 1993, there was air service agreement between both countries to operate flights in Osaka city. National carrier has been preparing to operate flights to Japan, Korea and America after the receiving new wide-body aircraft. Previously, NAC conducted direct flights to Osaka 15 years ago.
