With the country’s tourism industry bouncing back and massive increase in number of Nepalis going abroad, more and more foreign airline companies are seeking permission to operate flights to Nepal. New airline companies are beginning their direct services to Nepal and the already existing ones are in the process to increase their frequencies.
The UAE based RAK Airways is to begin direct services between Ras Al Khaimah and Kathmandu becoming the 10th airline to enter Nepal in the last 14 months. The airways has filed an appication at the Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking permission to operate 10 flights a week to Nepal, but it has not been given the permission yet.
“We have not been able to grant RAK a permit because we have maxed out the number of flights available under the present Air Service Agreement (ASA),” said an official at the Ministry of Civil Aviation to the Kathmandu Post.
Similarly, Orient Thai Airlines, a budget airline from Thailand, is beginning thrice-weekly flights between Bangkok and Kathmandu from Sunday, the paper reported.
Air Arabia and Etihad are planning to increase their frequencies after the ASA with the UAE is revised, which is to be done at a bilateral aviation meeting being held here from Wednesday to clear the way for new airlines to fly in and existing ones to add flights.
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