The national flag carrier has, finally, grounded all its six Chinese aircrafts – from today – citing operational loss.
“Two aircraft had been already grounded earlier and the remaining four have also grounded from today,” Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) spokesperson Archana Khadka confirmed, adding that the NAC will, now onwards, be operating its two Twin Otter aircraft for domestic flights. “We have submitted a letter to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) to do the needful with the four aircraft that were grounded today.”
As the government has the entire ownership of those all aircraft, the NAC has handed over the responsibility to the ministry, which will now take further decision on what to do with these aircraft. The grounded Chinese aircraft could be returned or sold to other airlines company.
NAC had received one MA60 and one Y12E aircraft on aid from the Chinese government, whereas bought one MA60 and three Y12E from Chinese aircraft manufacturer Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC International Leasing) to fly them on the domestic routes.
“The corporation’s board decided to ground all the aircraft, as all the six aircraft were not able to make any profit,” Khadka said, adding that the corporation has already faced losses amounting to Rs 1.90 billion till last fiscal year. “Thus, the national flag carrier cannot afford these aircraft anymore and now the government itself has to decide what to do with these aircraft.”
“The insurance cost of the Chinese aircraft is 35 per cent higher than other aircraft,” according to the NAC that has hired a different sets of pilots as the pilots with national flag carrier cannot fly the Chinese aircraft. “The NAC itself has to train pilots for the Chinese aircraft, which is a very expensive affair,” a board director of NAC said, adding that lack of instructor pilots for these aircraft has also made these aircraft more costlier than for other aircraft.
Similarly, the spare parts of the Chinese aircraft are also 75 per cent more expensive than those required in other aircraft. “It takes almost two months for the company to deliver the spare parts to Nepal,” the NAC claimed, adding that the aircraft had to be grounded for a long period waiting for the spare parts to come from China.
The NAC had signed an agreement with AVIC International Leasing in 2013 which saw the Chinese firm donate one MA-60 and one Y12E on condition that the carrier take three more Y12Es and one more MA-60 using a Rs 3.72 billion ($35.4 million) soft loan from China's Exim Bank. Nepal Airlines has slowly taken delivery of the promised aircraft, but has complained of their unsuitability for Himalayan terrain.
But after five years, and with the loss of above Rs 5 billion, Nepal Airlines Corporation, has completely grounded the Chinese aircraft from today. Nepali aircraft has been banned from flying into the European Union (EU), after Nepal acquired Chinese aircraft.
“Two aircraft had been already grounded earlier and the remaining four have also grounded from today,” Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) spokesperson Archana Khadka confirmed, adding that the NAC will, now onwards, be operating its two Twin Otter aircraft for domestic flights. “We have submitted a letter to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) to do the needful with the four aircraft that were grounded today.”
As the government has the entire ownership of those all aircraft, the NAC has handed over the responsibility to the ministry, which will now take further decision on what to do with these aircraft. The grounded Chinese aircraft could be returned or sold to other airlines company.
NAC had received one MA60 and one Y12E aircraft on aid from the Chinese government, whereas bought one MA60 and three Y12E from Chinese aircraft manufacturer Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC International Leasing) to fly them on the domestic routes.
“The corporation’s board decided to ground all the aircraft, as all the six aircraft were not able to make any profit,” Khadka said, adding that the corporation has already faced losses amounting to Rs 1.90 billion till last fiscal year. “Thus, the national flag carrier cannot afford these aircraft anymore and now the government itself has to decide what to do with these aircraft.”
“The insurance cost of the Chinese aircraft is 35 per cent higher than other aircraft,” according to the NAC that has hired a different sets of pilots as the pilots with national flag carrier cannot fly the Chinese aircraft. “The NAC itself has to train pilots for the Chinese aircraft, which is a very expensive affair,” a board director of NAC said, adding that lack of instructor pilots for these aircraft has also made these aircraft more costlier than for other aircraft.
Similarly, the spare parts of the Chinese aircraft are also 75 per cent more expensive than those required in other aircraft. “It takes almost two months for the company to deliver the spare parts to Nepal,” the NAC claimed, adding that the aircraft had to be grounded for a long period waiting for the spare parts to come from China.
The NAC had signed an agreement with AVIC International Leasing in 2013 which saw the Chinese firm donate one MA-60 and one Y12E on condition that the carrier take three more Y12Es and one more MA-60 using a Rs 3.72 billion ($35.4 million) soft loan from China's Exim Bank. Nepal Airlines has slowly taken delivery of the promised aircraft, but has complained of their unsuitability for Himalayan terrain.
But after five years, and with the loss of above Rs 5 billion, Nepal Airlines Corporation, has completely grounded the Chinese aircraft from today. Nepali aircraft has been banned from flying into the European Union (EU), after Nepal acquired Chinese aircraft.
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