Nepal Airlines resuming its flight to Dubai after 5 years
June 01, 2016 – Just after a day of first commercial flight of private carrier Himalaya Airlines to Doha, Nepal Airlines, today has announced to resume its direct flight service to Dubai of UAE after 5 years of halt in the service of that sector. The national flag carrier will conduct the direct flights to Dubai by its new Airbus 320-200 series aircraft.
Previously, the flight to Dubai was carried out by American made airplane Boeing 757 from Nepal Airlines. After confirming ‘Anta Travels’ situated in Dubai as General Sales Agent of Nepal Airlines in Dubai, it was announced that the flight to Dubai will be resumed soon.
The Corporate Director and spokesperson of Nepal Airlines, Ramhari Sharma informed that they have been planning to resume service from the end of coming July. He also added that the plan includes 3 flights per week at the first phase and progressively increasing the number of flights on coming days. The flights will be scheduled as one flight for Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. The duration of the flight is four hours non-stop from Kathmandu to Dubai and the bookings will be open soon according to him. Everyone including the passengers and travel agents are very positive about this announcement about Dubai flight which has excited them he added.
Nepal Airlines plans to continue its flight to Dubai targeting the tourists who come to visit Nepal from Europe and United States of America making Dubai their transit and also considering the fact that about 300 thousand of Nepalese are living in Dubai as foreign workers there.
Corporate Director Sharma of Airlines said that, GSA in Dubai are demanding for 2 flights a day according to the availability of passengers but the airline is focused to conduct only a single flight a day at the first phase even both the flights can be done in a day by 2 airbus aircrafts of Nepal Airlines.
Previously, Nepal Airlines flew in the sector of Kathmandu Dubai continuously for 8 years. But after gaining only loss in the flight of this sector Kathmandu-Dubai-Doha-Dubai-Kathmandu the operation was shut in 2011. Afterward it has only been flying to Doha the straight flights.
Nepal Airlines is positive about the Dubai flight targeting the European and American travellers and considering that people will choose national flag carrier to other private airlines for flight to Dubai that will help them strengthen the market.
But it is obvious that things will not be so easy for Nepal Airlines as the Dubai market is solely covered by ‘Fly Dubai’ Airlines in Kathmandu Dubai sector. Nepal Airlines will need to bring a competitive fare for competing with this budget airline. Premium airline needs to make agreement about the fare with budget airline before conducting the flights to same sector.
Corporate Director Sharma informed that he is ready to land into the competition even the fare will be a little higher than for the budget airline. He believes that the additional service including the food and beverages inflight will attract travelers towards Nepal Airlines instead.
Nepal Airlines will conduct the flight in this sector with its Airbus 320-200 series aircrafts with 158 seats altogether including 8 Business Class and rest the Economy class seats. Nepal Airlines also has two other Boeing 757 aircrafts and altogether the four aircrafts fly to New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Doha and Hong Kong currently.
