BB Airways, a private international airline owned by Bhawan Bhatta has yet again sent proposal for Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The airline has applied for AOC from sole aviation regulatory body CAAN.
The airline had already got the license renewed from CAAN however, AOC was not provided to the airline. Official of CAAN stated that recently the BB airways had applied for the AOC and after fulfilling all the necessary process the airline will receive the certificate.
The airline received its renewed license in last July after the presentation of BB Airways plan like procuring new aircraft, appointing employees and managing all the marketing business said official of Tourism and Civil Aviation Ministry (MoCTCA).
The airline had mentioned to start its initial flight over various destinations by purchasing 2 Airbus and Boeing aircraft each in its program.
Before, CAAN had stated to only to issue an operating license to BB airways to the government after the completion of expansion project due to increasing air traffic in skies over Kathmandu and lack of parking bay that has led to hold aircraft for hours producing hefty delays. The delay and cancellation of flights and congestion at the country’s one and only international airport Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has been creating flight chaos.
In September 2012, BB Airways started its scheduled flight with leased aircraft from Cambodia’s Tonlesap Airlines from Kathmandu to Malaysia but after the expiry of the lease the flight stopped and could not continue due to the unavailability of aircraft which then led to the termination of Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). The license which needs to be revised and renewed every 2 years had not been done.
BB Airways purchased three decades old Boeing 757 ‘9N-ACA’ aircraft of NAC which has flown for 86410 hours until the first week of January 2017. It has been grounded for 2 years at TIA and the airline bought it for NRs. 146 million. However, the aircraft was stranded at the TIA parking bay creating complication at the airport. The airline has been bearing the cost of parking fees, insurance and other types of fees.
