Stated-owned carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) will be operating international flights at four new destinations from 2019.
The corporation has announced to make scheduled flights to four new destinations on February, March, April and May in 2019.
Ashok Sigdel, spokesperson of NAC stated that the preparation for operating flights at Osaka, Japan from first week of February was completed. In the meantime, the flights at Guangzhou, China will start from March, 2019, he said.
European Union (EU) listing Nepalese airlines at blacklist has affected the corporation flight expansion. However, though Nepalese airlines remain in the blacklist of EU, the corporation will be commencing flights at four new destinations with the agreement of Civil Aviation Authority of respective nations.
The corporation has also begun the process for operating flights at Korea and Saudi Arabia with the preparation for flight to Osaka, Japan and Guangzhou, China.
Madan Kharel, newly appointed executive chairman of NAC stated that the corporation will be operating 3 flights weekly from the first week of February in Osaka, Japan and after one month, it will also operate 3 flights weekly in Guangzhou, China. “The required manpower and staffs will be arranged for Japan flights within 15 days”, he added.
The corporation has also appointed country manager for China and Japan. The Corporation’s Operations Committee has appointed Sailash Kansakar as Country Manager for China and Santosh Pandey for Japan.
Though NAC has also planned to operate flights to South Korea from March but Korea Office of Civil Aviation (KOCA) has not been yet able to report the audit of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and NAC.
Sugat Ratna Kansakar, former General Manager of NAC had been working with Korean Aviation Authority for flight operation to Korea. The South Korean team from Korea Office of Civil Aviation (KOCA) were planned to arrive in Nepal for “Safety Audit” of NAC at the end of the August 2018 before approving the corporation’s proposal of Kathmandu-Seoul flights. The Korean authorities have asked NAC to improve the flights security by showing the weaknesses prior to the audit. In addition, KOCA in the letter said that looking at the current flight security of the corporation, KOCA will not be able to help in flight Safety Audit.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rabindra Adhikari stated that the government is preparing to conduct flights to South Korea.
Speaking at the program organized by Nepal Chamber of Commerce held in Kathmandu on December 5, Tourism Minister has also made clear that the government has taken a resolution of Nepal Airlines’ aircraft to increase the number of foreigner tourists in Nepal.
The corporation operates international flights with its 2 wide body A330 aircraft, 2 narrow body A 320 and 1 Boeing aircraft. Similarly, for domestic flights, the corporation operates with its 3 Twin-otter, 2 MA-60, 4 Y-12e aircraft. The corporation has been operating to 8 international destinations and 22 domestic destinations.
