KATHMANDU, Dec 24: The government is increasingly entering into agreements with foreign airlines for international flights. The government, which has already signed air service agreements with 41 countries, will sign an air service agreement with another country next week. The government is making final preparations to sign the agreement with one new country while bilateral talks are being held with another country for signing an air service agreement.

According to Budhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the government has already signed separate air service agreements with 41 countries including the European Union (EU) members.

Nepal is now preparing to sign an air service agreement with Indonesia in the second week of February. The government has already authorized the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to enter into an air service agreement with Indonesia.

Earlier, on October 3, the government gave approval to the Ministry of Tourism to enter into an air service agreement with Rwanda. As per the approval, an agreement has already been signed with Rwanda.

The air service agreements allow direct flights between Nepal and the respective countries. 

The government is also preparing to sign an air service agreement with Switzerland. The government will be signing a bilateral air service agreement for at least 14 flights per week.

According to Lamichhane, all the agreements that will be signed from now onward will focus on airports outside Kathmandu.

The Government of Nepal has started making it compulsory for airline companies to operate two flights per day, one of which must be at an airport outside Kathmandu.

The government expects to increase flights to Pokhara and Bhairahawa airports with the new flight agreements. Also, the Ministry of Tourism says that all the air service contracts that have been renewed recently have started to emphasize on making flights outside Kathmandu.

The government is also preparing an air service agreement with Russia. Since only bilateral talks are going on with Russia, no agreement has been reached on air service agreement so far.

Although the government has signed air service agreements with 41 countries so far, regular flights are being operated to only 18 countries. Currently, airline companies from 18 countries are operating 30 flights per day to and from Nepal. 

Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, China's Air China, China Eastern, China Southern Airlines, Tibet Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, India's Air India, Indigo, Vistara are flying regularly in Nepal.

Similarly, flights from Biman Bangladesh from Bangladesh, Bhutan Airlines and Drukair from Bhutan, Kuwait's Jazeera and Kuwait Airlines, Korea's Korean Air are also flying to and from Nepal. Malaysian Airlines and Malindo from Malaysia, Qatar from Qatar, Salam from Oman, Singapore Airlines from Singapore, Sri Lankan Airlines from Sri Lanka, Turkish Air from Turkey, Air Thai and Thai Lion from Thailand are also flying to Nepal.

 
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