Airline revenues take off with rise in traffic
SANGAM PRASAIN
AUG 05 -
Growth in tourist arrivals and movement of migrant workers has brought increased revenues for international airlines serving Nepal. While luxury airlines benefited from swelling inbound tourism, budget airlines revelled in high labour traffic.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), total passenger movement at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport in 2009 reached 2,027,147 including 984,593 departures and 1,042,554 arrivals.
Nepali arrivals and departures amounted to 562,331 and 588,645 respectively. Foreign travellers accounted for 378,712 arrivals and 417,679 departures. There were 15,701 international flight movements during the year. Currently, 25 international airlines link Nepal.
Qatar Airways flew the highest number of passengers in 2009 taking a 12.39 percent share of the market. The airline carried 251,214 passengers on 1,396 flights. Gulf Air came second with a 11.76 percent market share carrying 238,527 passengers on 1,240 flights. Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) took the third position with 11.72 percent. It carried 237,751 passengers on 1,950 flight.
Likewise, Indian Airlines had a 9.85 percent market share, Thai Airways 9.19 percent, Jet Airways 8.28 percent, Air Arabia 6.48 percent, Jet Lite Airways 5.29 percent, Etihad Airways 3.84 percent and Biman Bangladesh 3.48 percent.
With Nepal Tourism Year 2011 approaching and the government aiming to bring in one million tourists during the year, a number of international carriers have upped their frequency. A few new carriers are expected to link Nepal from September. Malaysian Airlines, Oman Air and Spirit of Manila Airlines are planning to fly to Nepal, said CAAN.
Ram Kaji Koney, past president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), said that the increase in the number of international carriers was good for Nepal's tourism. He added that the weak performance of the national flag carrier had resulted in increased business for the international airlines. NAC needs to get back on its feet to promote Nepal around the world, he said.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Fuel supply to resume today
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, AUG 05 -
Agitating unions of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and the NOC board reached an agreement on Thursday evening, ending a two-day stalemate that had disrupted fuel supply.
In a meting between the agitating unions and the NOC board at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, the NOC staff agreed to resume the supply of petroleum products from Friday.
According to Commerce Secretary Purusottam Ojha, both sides have agreed on bonus distribution as per the existing law. The Bonus Act allows any corporation to distribute bonus up to 8 percent of profit even if it has incurred a cumulative loss.
Babu Ram Rai, president of Nepal National Employees' Union, said the agreement has been reached between the board and the unions and petroleum supply will resume from Friday.
The unions and the NOC board were at loggerheads after the board reversed its decision of distributing bonus worth Rs. 198.8 million. The NOC had earlier decided to distribute the bonus from its profit of fiscal year 2008/09.
It had made a profit of Rs 3.31 billion that fiscal year. It, however, was forced to withdraw its decision following criticism from the government, the CIAA and consumer rights groups.
Both sides have agreed to complete the maintenance of NOC's old depot within a year. Likewise, automation of the new depots will begin within a month, according to Rai. The losses of the NOC will be managed through a loss management plan.
Due to the bonus row, delivery of gasoline by NOC to petrol pumps in Kathmandu doubled on Thursday. Normally, NOC's Thankot depot supplies 500,000 litres of petroleum products daily. On Thursday, the supply was almost double. According to Thankot depot chief Bhuwaneshwor Rajbhandari, 962,000 litres of fuel were
supplied to private and public petrol pumps.
The agitating unions of NOC on Thursday closed its depots across the country after 1 p.m. The unions had closed the depots all day on Wednesday.
With the depots remaining open for only three hours, there was a long queue of over 100 tankers waiting to be refilled at the Thankot depot.
Of the total shipment made on Thursday, state-owned refuelling stations received 50,000 litres of diesel and petrol, said Rajbhandari. However, there was long queue of motorists on state-owned petrol pumps on Thursday.
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, AUG 05 -
Agitating unions of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and the NOC board reached an agreement on Thursday evening, ending a two-day stalemate that had disrupted fuel supply.
In a meting between the agitating unions and the NOC board at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, the NOC staff agreed to resume the supply of petroleum products from Friday.
According to Commerce Secretary Purusottam Ojha, both sides have agreed on bonus distribution as per the existing law. The Bonus Act allows any corporation to distribute bonus up to 8 percent of profit even if it has incurred a cumulative loss.
Babu Ram Rai, president of Nepal National Employees' Union, said the agreement has been reached between the board and the unions and petroleum supply will resume from Friday.
The unions and the NOC board were at loggerheads after the board reversed its decision of distributing bonus worth Rs. 198.8 million. The NOC had earlier decided to distribute the bonus from its profit of fiscal year 2008/09.
It had made a profit of Rs 3.31 billion that fiscal year. It, however, was forced to withdraw its decision following criticism from the government, the CIAA and consumer rights groups.
Both sides have agreed to complete the maintenance of NOC's old depot within a year. Likewise, automation of the new depots will begin within a month, according to Rai. The losses of the NOC will be managed through a loss management plan.
Due to the bonus row, delivery of gasoline by NOC to petrol pumps in Kathmandu doubled on Thursday. Normally, NOC's Thankot depot supplies 500,000 litres of petroleum products daily. On Thursday, the supply was almost double. According to Thankot depot chief Bhuwaneshwor Rajbhandari, 962,000 litres of fuel were
supplied to private and public petrol pumps.
The agitating unions of NOC on Thursday closed its depots across the country after 1 p.m. The unions had closed the depots all day on Wednesday.
With the depots remaining open for only three hours, there was a long queue of over 100 tankers waiting to be refilled at the Thankot depot.
Of the total shipment made on Thursday, state-owned refuelling stations received 50,000 litres of diesel and petrol, said Rajbhandari. However, there was long queue of motorists on state-owned petrol pumps on Thursday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)