Kathmandu-ANN
The Government has published a notice for a license to operate in international routes from domestic airlines of Nepal. Tara Air, a sister company of Yeti Airlines has applied for international chartered flights, the ministry said. The ministry had invited applications from interested domestic airlines from Nepal which fulfilled the criteria required to operate international flights.
Earlier, Yeti Airlines had secured an international flight permit. Yeti Airlines, that was authorized in 2006 with the name ‘Yeti International,’ presently operating international flights in partnership with China through the title of Himalaya Airlines.
The company has asked permission for only chartered international routes, said Suresh Acharya, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Yeti group has requested approval for only chartered flights and not for ‘scheduled’ operations, as per the ministry ‘s aviation department.
Under the leadership of Joint Secretary Acharya, who has been the head of the ministry ‘s air division, a six-member committee was formed to study and take the decision on the documents obtained for the license. The committee will be composed of representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal and invited specialists.
The committee will review all the documentation and will evaluate the basis for assessment. The Committee will act on the authorization within seven to 15 days.
The air operator certificate (AOC) must be obtained from Nepal ‘s regulatory Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) after receiving permission from the ministry. Joint Secretary Acharya said the study committee will consider moving the evaluation on towards early July.
Yeti group has tendered international chartered flights for passenger and freight charters, close to the old Shree Airlines permit. It is understood that the Yeti group has accelerated the process of flight permission to fly from the Gautam Buddha International Airport to the nearest international destination, which is under construction.
Buddha Air and Shree Airlines, are licensed for international flights in Nepal among domestic airlines from Nepal. In which Shree Airlines has not been able to operate international flights. It has been operating chartered and cargo flights to smaller destinations. These companies have been operating cargo and charter flights to various South Asian countries.
Even during the captivity, Buddha operating chartered flights to Bangladesh and Shree to Singapore and the African country of Sudan. Buddha had earlier flown commercial flights to Vanaras, Kolkata, India, and Paro, Bhutan.
