Nepal and Cambodia today signed the firstever bilateral air service agreement (ASA) between the two countries. The ASA will allow the airlines of both countries to launch 14 commercial flights a week in either direction.
Tourism minister Rabindra Adhikari and minister in charge of the Secretariat of Civil Aviation of Cambodia Mao Havanall signed the ASA – between the two countries – in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.
Though a final agreement to start air services between the two nations will be signed between the civil aviation authorities of both the nations in the near future, the agreement has paved the way for holding direct flights between Nepal and Cambodia, joint secretary at the ministry Suresh Acharya said.
"The agreement also makes provision for code-sharing, including third-country code share, where airlines of both countries can partner with other airlines to facilitate services to each other’s market," he said, adding that the agreement provides unlimited air cargo service between the two countries. "But aviation authorities of the two nations will finalise the details regarding flight frequency, code sharing, cargo and other issues in the near future before starting commercial flights between the nations."
A separate agreement has also been signed to boost bilateral cooperation and cultural exchange between both countries, he added.
Cambodian officials, on the occasion, said that they wanted to establish air links with Nepal, particularly the upcoming Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, during talks at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event in Antalya, Turkey, in 2015. However, the much delayed airport project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019. The government plans to open the airport from next June to help meet its goal of hosting 2 million tourists during the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign.
The international airport in Bhairahawa has been constructed to promote Lumbini – the birth place of Lord Buddha – as a Buddhist pilgrimage hub. Nepal is planning to promote Buddhist pilgrimage through the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.
According to International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a member of the World Bank Group – the Buddhist Circuit comprising Nepal and India is an important pilgrimage destination for the 450 million practicing Buddhists as well as travelers interested in history, culture or religion across the globe.
Since 1963, Nepal has signed ASAs with 39 countries, with Cambodia being the latest.
Nepal had recently revised the ASA with Thailand and increased the number of weekly flights from 10 to 28.
Tourism minister Rabindra Adhikari and minister in charge of the Secretariat of Civil Aviation of Cambodia Mao Havanall signed the ASA – between the two countries – in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.
Though a final agreement to start air services between the two nations will be signed between the civil aviation authorities of both the nations in the near future, the agreement has paved the way for holding direct flights between Nepal and Cambodia, joint secretary at the ministry Suresh Acharya said.
"The agreement also makes provision for code-sharing, including third-country code share, where airlines of both countries can partner with other airlines to facilitate services to each other’s market," he said, adding that the agreement provides unlimited air cargo service between the two countries. "But aviation authorities of the two nations will finalise the details regarding flight frequency, code sharing, cargo and other issues in the near future before starting commercial flights between the nations."
A separate agreement has also been signed to boost bilateral cooperation and cultural exchange between both countries, he added.
Cambodian officials, on the occasion, said that they wanted to establish air links with Nepal, particularly the upcoming Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, during talks at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event in Antalya, Turkey, in 2015. However, the much delayed airport project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019. The government plans to open the airport from next June to help meet its goal of hosting 2 million tourists during the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign.
The international airport in Bhairahawa has been constructed to promote Lumbini – the birth place of Lord Buddha – as a Buddhist pilgrimage hub. Nepal is planning to promote Buddhist pilgrimage through the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.
According to International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a member of the World Bank Group – the Buddhist Circuit comprising Nepal and India is an important pilgrimage destination for the 450 million practicing Buddhists as well as travelers interested in history, culture or religion across the globe.
Since 1963, Nepal has signed ASAs with 39 countries, with Cambodia being the latest.
Nepal had recently revised the ASA with Thailand and increased the number of weekly flights from 10 to 28.
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