City Express International Travels and Tours - the general sales agent (GSA) of the UAE-based budget carrier - has already sold tickets for the Malaysia flights, despite a committee of the parliament instructing the government to cancel Air Arabia´s permit to operate flights on Kathmandu-Kuala Lumpur route.[break]
Talking to media persons on Monday, Ravi Chandra Singh of City Express said they were preparing to launch Malaysia flights as per the government´s regulation and Air Service Agreement (ASA) between the two countries. “We are not challenging the parliamentary committee´s decision. We are simply following the law,” Singh added.
Air Arabia will fly six times a week on the route using a 162-seater Airbus A320.
Singh said they were offering flights at cheaper fare as compared to the fare of the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). While NAC charges Rs 21,972 per person for one-way trip, Air Arabia is offering the same for just Rs 11,000.
“We are ready to stop the flights if Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) asks us,” Singh added.
Meanwhile, different unions of NAC employees have submitted a memorandum to MoTCA, asking the ministry to cancel Air Arabia´s permit to operate flights to Kuala Lumpur.
The unions have also announced different programs to bar Air Arabia from launching Malaysia flights. The employees have warned that they won´t provide ground handling services to the airline if the government does not cancel the permit.
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