SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, JAN 19 -
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has allowed international airlines serving Nepal to operate additional flights during 2011 in view of the projected rise in arrivals during the Nepal Tourism Year campaign which has aimed to bring one million tourists.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the ministry decided on Jan. 13 to permit the carriers to increase their frequency by up to seven flights per week. The extra flights are based on the temporary operating permit (TOP) which is applicable to scheduled online international airlines and will be valid till the end of 2011. The additional flights will be approved only during lean hours.
“As per the TOP, each country will be allowed to add up to seven flights per week,” said Amar Bahadur Shakya, director, airlines affairs department, CAAN.
The ministry has directed CAAN to inform the aviation authorities of all the countries, which have signed an air service agreement (ASA) with Nepal about the new provision. Nepal has signed ASAs with 36 countries.
“The ministry took the decision to allow additional flights as there was insufficient time to amend the ASAs,” said Suresh Acharya, joint secretary of the Tourism Ministry.
Presently, 27 international airlines are serving the country. Nepal is targeting at least 700,000 arrivals by air in 2011, which will require an additional 1.40 million roundtrip seats.
According to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, passenger movement grew 21 percent in the first nine months of 2010 to 1.71 million passengers, up from 1.41 million during the same period last year. International flight movement rose 23 percent during the review period to 13,978 flights compared to 11,329 previously.
In the whole of 2009, international passenger movement was recorded at 2,027,147 passengers and flight movement at 15,701 flights, a growth of 11 percent over 2008.
“Nepal has targeted one million tourists during Nepal Tourism Year, and the goal shows that demand for air seats will swell enormously,” said TIA general manager Dinesh Shrestha.
TIA handles up to 50-60 international flights daily while its capacity is 35-40 flights. Around 3,000 passengers now pass through the airport per hour, which was designed to handle 1,350 passengers per hour. Nepal Airlines Corporation, Dragon Air, Gulf Airways and Qatar Airways are the carriers operating night flights.
Eight international airlines added Nepal to their network during the years 2009 and 2010. Kingfisher of India began flying on the Mumbai-Delhi-Kathmandu sector on April 24, 2010. Oman Air started operations in September 2010. India's SpiceJet started its New Delhi-Kathmandu service on Oct. 7, 2010 while Fly Dubai entered Nepal's skies on Dec. 15, 2009. China Eastern Airlines began scheduled flights to Kathmandu from Kunming on Sept. 8, 2009.
Dutch carrier ARKE started flying between Amsterdam and Kathmandu on Oct. 7, 2009 to become the only airline operating a direct service between Nepal and Europe. United Airways began scheduled flights between Dhaka and Kathmandu on Oct. 28, 2009 while Jet Airways started flying on the Mumbai-Kathmandu sector on Dec. 2, 2009. Fly Dubai started its Kathmandu service on Dec 15, 2009.
International airlines existing seat production
Airlines Seat capacity Production
Air Arabia 168 2,352
Air China 128 512
Bahrain Air 138 966
Biman Bangladesh 221/80 1,547
Buddha Air 47/18 141/72
China Eastern 134 402
China Southern 128 384
Dragon Air 300 1,800
Druk Air 114 570
Etihad Airways 262 1,834
GMG Airlines 153 1,071
Gulf Air 250 2,750
Indian Airlines 172/145 3,568
Jet Airways 144 3,024
Jet Lite 186 1,302
Korean Air 261/301 602
Nepal Airlines 190 4,180
Pakistan Int’l Airlines 205 615
Qatar Airways 305/272/260/144 6,405
Silk Air 150 900
Thai Int’l Airways 309 2,163
TUI Airlines (ARKE) 180 180
United Airways 155/37 930
Fly Dubai 189 1,323
Kingfisher Airlines 174 1,218
Oman Air 154 616
Spice Jet 212 1,484
Weekly seat production: 42,911
Annual seat production: 2,231,372
Source: CAAN
