As per the agreement, Pokhara-based Satyam Tours and Travels will conduct chartered flights using NAC´s aircraft.
An agreement to this extent was signed between NAC and the company on Thursday. The agreement says the same aircraft that is being rented out will also be used by NAC to conduct scheduled flights. This means Satyam Tours will be operating chartered flights when the aircraft is not being used by NAC. [break]
Amrit Adhikari, director of Satyam Tours, said the company will operate flights from March 11. As per the agreement, the company will be allowed to use the aircraft for a period of six months. Payment will be made on the basis of hourly operation of flights.
At present, the aircraft that NAC is allowing Pokhara-based company to operate flies to Mustang on Thursdays and Saturdays and to Manang on Saturdays. "We will be conducting flights in remaining hours," said Adhikari.
He said the company was preparing to operate up to five chartered flights on Pokhara-Jomsom route per day and conduct mountain flights.
The company is eyeing Indian pilgrims visiting Muktinath as major clients on Pokhara-Jomsom flights.
Adhikari further said plans to operate flights on Pokhara-Bhairahawa and Kathmandu-Lukla routes were also in the cards. As per the agreement, NAC will be responsible for maintenance of the aircraft and Satyam Tours will launch marketing campaigns on its own to promote its business.
NAC Spokesperson Ganesh Bahadur Chand said the agreement was signed to generate extra earnings for the state-owned company. ""his will not hamper our scheduled flights at all,""Chand said.
Along with two Boeing aircraft, NAC currently owns three Twin Otters.
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