Unity Air readying to take off
MAR 28 - Unity Air, a new player in the aviation sector of Nepal has been permitted international operation license by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA).
The new airline will be flying Kathmandu-Delhi, Kathmandu-Doha, Kathmandu-Dubai and Kathmandu-Kuala Lumpur routes, said Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, secretary at the MoTCA.
The government has already provided international airspace license to Buddha Air and Air Dynamic. "We will soon grant license to Shri Air that intends to operate charter helicopter services to UN agencies and for other tourism purpose," he said.
Bishnu Chettri, general manager of Unity International said that they intend to accomplish the aircraft purchase, market promotion and recruitment of staffs within 2010. "After the completion of all procedures, we will be flying by the end of 2010," he said.
In the first phase, the new airline has targeted Doha and Dubai, which are major Nepali labour markets. According to the Unity Air business plan, it will have a daily flight in Kathmandu-Delhi sector.
Similarly, there will be four flights a week to Doha, three flight a week to Dubai and two flights a week between Kathmandu- Kuala Lumpur.
He said that they are also aiming to fly to China and some European markets. However, plans for expansion to China and Europe will be assessed after rendering success in the primary targeted market. Chettri said that they were negotiating with a US Company and a Malaysian company for the purchase deal of four jet aircraft. According to him, each 150-seater jet would cost around Rs 6 billion.
Unity Air has been cleared for class B airspace. Every five years, the ministry reviews applications from airlines wanting to go international. This time, the ministry has fixed classes A, B and C airspace for airlines wanting to operate internationally.
Of the other two permitted international operation license, Buddha Air has been permitted to fly on the Pokhara-Lucknow, Janakpur-Patna and Kathmandu-Paro sector. The carrier's fleet consists of five 18-seater Beechcraft-1900D and two 47-seater ATR-42.
Similarly, Air Dynamic intends to fly on the Bhairahawa-Gaya, Kathmandu-Delhi, Kathmandu-Karachi, Kathmandu-Doha, Kathmandu-Bangalore, Kathmandu-Bagdogra and Kathmandu-Kuala Lumpur routes. Air Dynamic plans to acquire two Boeing 737-800 and one ATR-72 aircraft for this service.
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has recently amended the civil aviation regulations requiring hopeful international airlines to put up a security bond of Rs. 5 million and have a paid-up capital of Rs. 500 million. The terms of reference document costs Rs. 50,000.
An airline that has fulfilled the terms of reference to go international must obtain an air operator certificate (AOC) within six months and start flights within a year after getting it.
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