SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 03 -
International airlines operating in Nepal saw a 20.19 percent rise in passenger movement in 2010 compared to 2009.
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the sole international airport in Nepal, reported that passenger volume in 2010 reached 2,436,558 against 2,027,147 in 2009. All the major airlines, particularly those connecting labour destinations, witnessed greater business compared to 2009.
According to the TIA report, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, Fly Dubai, Bahrain Air and Oman Air reported the strongest full-year passenger growth.
TIA statistics paint a bleak picture of the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). Marred by series of controversy and inability to purchase new aircraft, the NAC recorded a negative growth in passenger movement in 2010. It lost 2.17 percent to take the third place in terms of passenger movement. Thanks to the healthy growth in migrant workers’ departure, most of the airlines from Middle East registered handsome growth in 2010.
Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways and Bahrain Air recorded passenger growth of 19.49 percent, 18.84 percent, 49.39 percent and 42 percent, respectively.
New entrants Oman Air and Fly Dubai also saw a healthy passenger growth in 2010. However, Gulf Air posted a negative growth in passenger movement with the number of passengers dipping by 25 percent. Except Indian Airlines, airlines based in India reported a healthy growth in passenger movement last year.
The entry of more India-based airlines in Nepal saw the Indian Airlines losing passengers. While the Jet Airways and Jet Lite International posted 52 percent and 4.46 percent growth, respectively, Indian Airlines recorded degrowth of 12.38 percent. Same was the story with airlines from China, with all three Chinese airlines - China Southern, China Eastern and Air China- enjoying growth in 2010.
Int’l Airlines passenger movement
Airlines 2009 2010
Qatar Airways 251,214 300,184
Jet Airways 167,849 255,161
Nepal Airlines 237,751 232,577
Gulf Air 238,527 178,887
Thai Airways 186,466 175,422
Indian Airlines 199,770 175,022
Air Arabia 131,386 156,147
Etihad Airways 77,981 116,496
Jet Lite 107,271 112,060
Biman Bangladesh 70,727 105,971
Fly Dubai —— 81,446
Dragon Air 47,658 68,977
GMG Airlines 37,077 60,425
Kingfisher —— 55,470
Silk Air 52,372 52,906
Pakistan Int’l 58,161 47,610
Bahrain Air 32,877 46,726
Air China 29,620 36,536
Korean Air 33,099 31,528
(Source: TIA)
