Gulf Air to stop flying Kathmandu from March 25

Gulf Air will stop flying to Kathmandu from March 25.
"From January 11, Gulf Air — in the first phase — will reduce its flights to Kathmandu to five from the current 14 flights a week," according to operation director of President Travels — General Sales Agent (GSA) of Gulf Air — Siddhartha Thapa. "From March 25, Gulf Air will stop flying to Kathmandu completely," he added.
Gulf Air — the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain — until two years back, used to fly the highest number of passengers to and from Kathmandu.
Some more international airlines — especially from the Middle East — are planning to reduce their flights to Kathmandu citing losses due to high ground handling charges and lack of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) that has made their operation cost expensive.
According to a CAAN report, Nepal has signed Air Service Agreements (ASA) with 36 countries generating more than 5.76 million seats from different international airlines annually to and from Nepal. "But international airlines operating to Nepal are using only 44.7 per cent of the total permitted capacity," the report said.
Earlier, foreign airlines operating flights to Nepal had requested the government to waive the VAT imposed on ground handling services at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA). According to the Board of Airlines Representatives in Nepal, other countries do not impose levy on ground handling services making Kathmandu an expensive destination to fly.
Apart from lowering ground handling charges, the government must enter into DTAA with middle-eastern countries, as middle-eastern hubs are well served from Kathmandu, according to international airlines flying to Kathmandu.
Flights to Bahrain are operated by Bahrain Air and Gulf Air, whereas Doha is served by Qatar Airways, Abu Dhabi by Etihad, and Sharjah by Air Arabia.
The reduction of flights of Gulf Air will not only hit tourist arrivals but also hurt revenue.

NAC aircraft back from C-Check, adds flights for peak season

After the Nepal Airlines Corporation’s (NAC) one of the aircraft landed back at the TIA today morning after C-Check, it is operating four flights to Doha and Hong Kong from today due to the peak season.
"Immediately after the arrival of its Boeing 9N ACB aircraft from Israel today morning, NAC has added one flight each to Doha and Hong Kong," according to the ailing national flag carrier that is increasing flights to Doha and Hong Kong from tomorrow as its 9N ACB aircraft will return after a complete Comprehensive Check (C-Check).

Earlier this month, NAC had increased the utility hour of its 9N ACA aircraft to 12.5 hours a day as the other Boeing aircraft was sent for a C-Check to Israel on August 28.

Normally, one aircraft is operated for 10.5 utility hours a day. Along with the extended utility hour of its only aircraft, the ailing national flag carrier had reduced its international flights since August 29. Since August 29, NAC had been operating 9N ACA to all its destinations.

However, NAC currently does not have any plans to resume flights to Dubai and Delhi. 

NAC had suspended its flights to Dubai and Delhi and had also reduced its flights to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Doha and Hong Kong. NAC usually operates three flights each to Bangkok and Hong Kong, three flights to Doha and Dubai, and six flights to Kuala Lumpur in a week making it 15 flights a week, besides seven weekly flights to New Delhi.

NAC has a capacity of two flights a day on average. During emergencies, it operates only one aircraft to five different destinations.

Along with NAC, there are a number of international airlines that will also increase their flight frequency to manage passenger flow during the peak season.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Air Asia X, Gulf Air, and China Eastern are some airlines which have applied to increase their flight frequency for the peak season, and some of them have received permission.

IndiGo starts Kathmandu flight from today

The healthy growth of Indian tourists to Nepal has attracted more Indian airlines to Nepal.
With seven flights daily, IndiGo Airlines has started New-Delhi-Kathmandu flight from Friday making it the sixth Indian private airliner to fly to Kathmandu.Speaking on the inaugural flight, Aditya Ghosh, president IndiGo said that Kathmandu is a key market and holds a lot of promise. “IndiGo will continue to keep its promise of providing low fares on the New Delhi-Kathmandu-New Delhi routes as well," he said, adding that the airlines hopes to provide the much needed avenue for countless Indians to explore wider horizons and at the same time open up the doors to more and more overseas travellers to experience India.
Currently, Air India, Jet Airlines, Jet lite, Spice Jet, Kingfisher and Indigo fly on New-Delhi-Kathmandu route with a total of 78 flights a week.
"Private Indian airlines have explored Nepal as new destination,” said director general of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Ram Prasad Neupane.
"The increase in the number of Indian airlines flying to Kathmandu has also encouraged the sector," he added.
According to him, India and China has large market access and they have strong economy. "Increase in the number of airlines from these countries can bring a large number of quality tourist to Nepal," he said, adding that the movement of Indian tourist has always been in an increasing trend.
"In an average, Indian tourists contribute to 30 per cent of the total international tourist arrival through airways,” said Neupane.
"According to Air Service Agreement (ASA) between Nepal and India, different Indian airlines can have 30,000 flights a week,” according to joint secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Ranjan Krishna Aryal.
Therefore, more private Indian airlines can start their flights to Kathmandu with the recommendation of Indian government and technical specifications to Nepal, he added.
Including six Indian airlines and two Nepali airlines — Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and Buddha Air — some 28 different international airlines fly to Nepal like Air Arabia, Arke Fly, Baharain, Biman Bangladesh, China Eastern, China Southern, Dragon Air, Fly Dubai, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Korean Air, Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Qatar Airways, Druk Air, Silk Air, Thai International Airways, United Airways and GMG Airlines.

The frequency
Airlines — Destinations — No of flights in a week
Air India — Delhi — 14
Air India — Kolkata — 4
Air India — Mumbai — 4
Jet Airways — Delhi — 14
Jet Airways — Mumbai — 7
Jet lite — Delhi — 7
Kingfisher — Delhi — 7
Spice Jet — Delhi — 14
Indigo — Delhi — 7
Total flights — 78
(Source: Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal)

International airlines add flights to Kathmandu

Increased demand has forced Gulf Air to add more flights to Kathmandu.
Last week, Qatar Airways has also announced the addition of flights to Kathmandu from October 1, due to increased demand.
Gulf Air — Bahrain’s national carrier — as part of its new winter schedule beginning November 1, is increasing its flights to Kathmandu from 12 to 14 per week. According to new schedule it will have two flights daily for more convenient onward connectivity through Bahrain’s efficient hub to Europe and the GCC.
Similarly, Qatar Airways has also increased its flights frequency on Doha-Kathmandu route from October 1. According to the airlines, from next month the airlines will operate four flights a day between Doha and Kathmandu. “It will give a wider choice to passenger from Nepal to travel their final destinations in Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Arabian Gulf countries,” Qatar Airway’s country manager for Nepal Ramdas Shivram, said, adding that the airlines has also brought a very exiting value for money offers to passengers. The offer will be valid for a limited time period, said the Qatar Airways that has bagged World’s Best Airline 2011 award in June is growing on an average of 35 per cent annually.
“Gulf Air’s Kathmandu flight has been increased to 14 flights per week to meet increasing commercial demand on the route,” Gulf Air commercial manager for Nepal Renji Thomas said, adding that it has carried more than 82,000 passengers to and from Kathmandu at a consistent 80 per cent seat load factor. But the airlines is hopeful of an increase in demand in future.
Gulf will initially operate an Airbus A320 to Nepal replacing it with a larger A330 during the peak season.

Baharain Air's maiden flight lands in Kathmandu

Bahrain Air -- the second airlines that has started flying on the Kathmandu- Baharain route -- landed at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) here this morning.
Airlines managing director Ibrahim Abdulla Al Hamr said the airlines will strengthen economic ties between Nepal and Bahrain. "It has established itself as a brand in the competitive Gulf-Asia sector in a comparatively short time," he added.
Gulf Air is already flying on this route that is considered lucrative due to Nepali migrant workers' inflow and outflow in the Gulf nations. Bahrain Air is eyeing the market pie that Gulf Air has been monopolising.
Bahrain is also a transit point for Nepali and foreign tourists to and from Kathmandu apart from the crowd of blue-collar Nepali workers.
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 an opportunity to operate flights to Nepal.

Silk Air celebrates 20th anniversary
KATHMANDU: Silk Air -- the regional airlines of Singapore Airlines -- celebrated its 20th anniversary in the capital on Monday. The airlines is planning to again increase its flight frequency from the current three flights a week. Earlier, it had six flights on the Kathmandu-Singapore route. "But due to off-season, the airlines reduced the frequency of flights," said Silk Air's Nepal manager Joshua Ganesan.

Airlines flying to Nepal
KATHMANDU: Some of the international airlines flying to Nepal.
Aeroflot Russian Airlines
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
British Airways
Dragon Air
Baharain Air
Gulf Air
Jet Airways
Indian Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Quatar Airways
Royal Bhutan Airline - Druk Air
Silk Air
Singapore Airlines
Transavia Airlines
Thai Airways International