International airlines felicitate NAC for better ground handling

International airlines felicitated Nepal Airlines for its efficient ground handling at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA).

Some 10 international airlines today awarded the ailing national flag carrier for its better ground handling at the only international airport.

The second annual general meeting of the Airlines Operators' Committee, Nepal, has facilitated the Nepal Airlines that has been remaining afloat only due to ground handling as it has no aircraft to expand its routes and increase flight frequency.

Qatar Air, China Southers, Etihad, IndiGo, Jet Airways, Oman Air, Air Arabia, Dragon Air, Thai Airways and Korean Air have recognised the NAC for its service.

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.

Qatar Airways to join oneworld alliance

Qatar Airways is joining oneworld^®, adding one of the world’s fastest growing and most highly rated airlines to the world’s leading quality airline alliance.

Its election as a oneworld member designate was announced today at a press conference in New York – home of oneworld’s central alliance management office – with senior executives of Qatar Airways and the alliance’s established member airlines in attendance, said the airlines that was named Airline of the Year for the past two years by the Skytrax independent airline quality rating agency.

“Alliances are playing an increasingly important role in the airline industry today – and that will continue long into the future,” said Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker at the press meet.

Qatar Airways has carefully reviewed its strategic options and it is very clear that joining oneworld is by far the best way forward for the airlines us as it looks to strengthen its competitive offering and give passengers what they fully deserve – more choice, he said, adding that like Qatar Airways, oneworld is also focused on quality and providing the best connections between the places most important to today’s frequent international travellers. 

The first of the three major airlines based in the Gulf to sign for any of the global airline alliances, Qatar Airways is also the second largest full service airline in the world not, until today, aligned to one of big global airline alliances, it said, adding that the Doha-based airline’s implementation into oneworld is expected to take between 12 and 18 months. 

The carrier is set to move into a brand new home in 2013 with the opening of the New Doha International Airport, designed to strengthen its position as a premium global hub with an eventual capacity for 50 million passengers a year.

As a member of oneworld, Qatar Airways will fly alongside some of the biggest and best brands in the airline business.  British Airways will serve as its sponsor in joining oneworld, supported by the central oneworld alliance team, mentoring the recruit through its alliance implementation programme.

Qatar Airways will be oneworld’s second member airline based in the Middle East, alongside Royal Jordanian, which became the first airline from the region to join any of the global alliances when it boarded oneworld in 2007.

In just 15 years of operations, Qatar Airways has built up a solid international route network flying to key business and leisure destinations worldwide – and winning countless awards for high service levels, including the Five Star accolade given by Skytrax.

Qatar Airways’ network serves 120 destinations in 70 countries in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australasia, including oneworld hubs Amman, Berlin Tegel, Buenos Aires Ezeiza, Hong Kong, London Heathrow, Madrid, Melbourne, Moscow Domodedovo, New York JFK, Osaka Kansai, Sydney, Tokyo Narita, and the Kuala Lumpur home of oneworld member elect Malaysia Airlines.

Fifteen of its destinations and three countries - Iran, Rwanda and the Seychelles - will be new to the oneworld map. More significantly, Qatar Airways will substantially strengthen oneworld’s customer offering by providing superior routing alternatives across many hundreds of city pairs.  For example, passengers flying between Asia and Southern Europe or between Asia and Africa will now have convenient one-stop connections not previously available within the oneworld network.

Qatar Airways operates one of the world’s youngest and most modern fleets, currently standing at 111 Boeing and Airbus aircraft with an average age of just four years old.

Its addition will increase oneworld’s global coverage to 856 destinations in 159 countries, served by a combined fleet of 2,600 aircraft operating more than9,300 flights and carrying almost a million passengers every day (342 million a year), generating annual revenues of nearly $120 billion.

Qatar Airways already code-shares with oneworld member designate Malaysia Airlines.  It will develop bilateral links with more airlines in the alliance as it moves towards becoming a member of the group.

Two established oneworld member airlines currently serve its Doha home– British Airways from its London hub, and Royal Jordanian from its Amman base – along with member elect SriLankan, from its Colombo hub.   Opportunities for increasing the alliance’s services to Doha will be explored as Qatar Airways prepares to join.

When Qatar Airways becomes part of oneworld, its customers will gain access to the alliance’s truly global network.  The 2.2 million members of its Privilege Club frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem rewards on any of oneworld’s other carriers, with top tier members able to use any of the group’s 550 plus airport lounges, and its network will be covered by oneworld’s market leading range of alliance fares. 

At the same time, the 125 million frequent flyer cardholders of oneworld’s established airlines will be able to earn and redeem rewards when flying on Qatar Airways and access Qatar Airways’ lounges.

“In Qatar Airways’ relatively short history, it has quickly established a reputation for innovation, quality and excellence in everything it does, raising standards which its industry peers have watched with envy,” Al Baker added.

Qatar Airways was launched in 1997 and quickly established itself as one of the world’s fastest growing and highest quality airlines. It boarded 15 million passengers in 2011, generating group revenues of $ 6.4 billion. 

Qatar Airways, which uses the two-letter code QR, has one of the world’s youngest fleets. It currently operates 111 aircraft, with an average age of four years, including 26 Boeing 777s, four Airbus A340-600s, 29 Airbus A330s and 44 Airbus A320 family types.  It has orders and options for more than 250 more aircraft, worth more than US$ 50 billion, for delivery over the next few years. These include 13 Airbus A380-800s, 80 Airbus A350s, 60 Boeing 787s and 80 Airbus A320neos. Qatar Airways is 50 per cent owned by the State of Qatar and 50 per cent by private shareholders.

Similarly, oneworld aims to be the first choice airline alliance for the world’s frequent international travellers. It brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business – airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines, and around 20 affiliates including Austria’s NIKI, American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru. Malaysia Airlines is on track to join at around the turn of the year, with Sri Lankan to follow in 2013.  India’s Kingfisher Airlines is also a member elect. Mexicana is an inactive member of the alliance. 

International airlines offer special fares for Hajj passengers

International airlines have started competing for Muslim passengers going for Hajj to Mecca.

Qatar Airways, which operates four flights from Kathmandu to Doha, and two flights a day from Doha to Jeddah is offering a special fare for the pilgrimage, whereas Air Arabia has been declared the official carrier for Muslim Hajj pilgrims by the Hajj committee of the government.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced Air Arabia as the official carrier for Muslim Hajj pilgrims," the airlines said, adding that Air Arabia had proposed a round trip fare of $ 870 and became the official airlines.

The flight on the Kathmandu-Sharjah-Jeddah route will have a transit of three to four hours in Sharjah and Air Arabia will provide food and lodging facilities for Hajj travelers, it said.

"Hajj pilgrims can depart from Kathmandu from October 7 to October 14, and return to Kathmandu within 45 days of departure," Air Arabia said, hoping to provide a comfortable and memorable flight experience to Muslim Hajj travellers going to Mecca.

Similarly, Qatar Airways is offering a special fare of Rs 82,000, including all the taxes and surcharges for passengers travelling from Nepal to Saudi Arabia — to perform this year's Hajj pilgrimage — and back.

"The offer is valid for travel from Kathmandu between October 7 and October 13, and pilgrims must return between November 17 and November 27, Qatar Airways added.

Nearly 1,000 Nepali Muslims perform the pilgrimage every year, and Qatar Airways carried 858 pilgrims last year providing excellent five-star rated service including extra baggage allowance to carry food and holy water, known as Zam Zam water, on the way back, the airlines said, adding that the offer is valid only till the end of August and tickets need to be purchased before August 31.

Hajj is a pilgrimage taken by Muslims to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and it occurs from the eighth to 12th day of Dul-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of Ramdan.

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.