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Nepal Airlines is interested to sell a 51 per cent stake and two Middle Eastern airlines have evinced interest to become strategic partners, its managing director Sugat Ratna Kansakar told a news conference in Dubai on Monday.
Nepal Airlines resumed its Kathmandu-Dubai service on August 18, 2016 with three weekly flights. It might be a daily flight in a year or two, Kansakar informed.
The airline had suspended its flights on Kathmandu-Dubai route due to the lack of aircraft in 2012. The UAE is the fourth largest destination for Nepali migrant workers. According to recent estimates, there are 400,000 Nepali workers in the UAE.
The government is keen to sell a 51 per cent stake in the national airline and talks are at the initial stage with two Middle Eastern carriers, the managing director informed, declining to disclose the name of the airlines.
Responding to a question from Khaleej Times on whether these airlines are Gulf-based, he said: "I would prefer to say Middle East airlines at this time."
The airline is looking for massive expansion on international routes. More than 90 per cent of the market is controlled by foreign airlines, the managing director said.
"We want to expand and we need more aircraft. We are planning to buy one aircraft every year," he said. He mentioned that the airline has always been in profit.
The airline wants to buy more aircraft and a loan is required for the new fleet, he said, adding that banks are willing to give loans as the government is offering a guarantee.
Kumar Jagadeesan, general manager of Ajman National Travel Agency (ANTA) for UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia, said the first flight after four years was more than 90 per cent full. Nepal's national flag carrier has selected ANTA as their general sales agent for passengers and cargo in the UAE.
Nepal Airlines used to fly to Amsterdam, Colombo, Dhaka, Frankfurt, Karachi, London, Osaka, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore and Vienna, besides five Indian cities of Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Patna. It presently connects Kathmandu with Doha, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok and three cities in India - Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.
The airline will soon fly to Kolkata in India, Guangzhou in China and Dammam in Saudi Arabia. By the end of 2016, the airline will serve nine destinations compared to seven at present.
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com
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