Nepali Domestic Yeti Airlines Given License to Fly International Routes

Nepali domestic Yeti Airlines given license to fly international routes

KATHMANDU, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) — Nepali government decides to give license to domestic Yeti Airlines to fly international routes, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported on Wednesday.

While international airlines are showing rising interest to connect Nepal with direct flights, the Nepali government has decided to give license to Yeti Airlines, a domestic airline, to fly international routes.

The government has given the green light to the airline to run flights from Kathmandu to five destinations — Bangkok of Thailand, Seoul of South Korea, Lhasa of China, Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates, and Paro of Bhutan.

“If things go as we desire, we will launch international flights in a year,” said Bijaya Shrestha, executive director of Yeti Airlines.

The permission was given to the airlines after thorough study over its technical soundness, professionalism, and financial status, an official at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) said.

In accordance with the new Aviation Policy, the Ministry had earlier invited applications from domestic airlines having completed continued and successful operation for five years to operate international flights. Yeti Airlines was the only one to apply for the international airline’s license.

Yeti Airlines has become the fifth airline in the country to get a nod to operate international flights. Necon Air, Air Nepal International and Cosmic Air operated international flights, only to close down within a short period. Another airline, Shangri-La Airlines even failed to start flights within its stipulated timeframe.

Yeti Airlines has a fleet of four Jet Stream-41 turboprop planes and five Twin Otters, the largest fleet among private domestic airlines.

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