Thai Air Asia under Air Asia group has proposed to operate Bangkok-Kathmandu flight. The air service provider under Air Asia Group of Malaysia has proposed the flight to Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
CAAN official stated that the airline has provided all the documents for Bangkok-Kathmandu flight recently and the authority has been studying about the flight possibilities.
CAAN will look under connection of the airline with Air Asia X which has already suspended its flight but still has to pay pending dues of around 140 million to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), criteria to operate international flight and other research before giving permission for flight stated the official. CAAN is looking under all the documents and if all procedure is completed, the airlines will be operated flights within 2 months, he added.
Nepal is studying about connection of Air Asia X with Thai Air Asia as both airline falls under joint venture of same parent company and Air Asia X has already suspended its flight between Malaysia and Nepal from October last year without clearing the loan to the airport.
AirAsia X had been conducting regular flights with its 274 seat capacity Airbus 330 aircraft and by last quarter of 2018, the airline sent written notice to suspend flight to TIA stating unavailability of sufficient passenger.
AirAsia X and TIA had a controversial case in the subject of pending air services charges to be paid by AirAsia X. Though TIA warned AirAsia to cease its operation several times, the carrier fell behind to pay the pending charges.
If Thai Air Asia is found to have connection with the Air Asia X, then the Thai Air Asia will be liable to pay the loan of the Air Asia X and only then the airlines will be permitted to operate along with operation, safety, management and the airlines viability according to law of Nepal.
Thai Air Asia has also sent letter to TIA for security assessment of the airport before operating flight to TIA.
