KATHMANDU, Aug 14: Saurya Airlines, following a period of limited success with jet engine aircraft, has taken a significant step by finalizing an agreement with a British company for the procurement of three ATR aircraft.

The company's Chairman Deepak Pokharel, revealed that the acquisition process for the ATR fleet is set to be completed within the next year. In addition, the airline intends to acquire three Bombardier CRJ-200 series aircraft to bolster their air ambulance capabilities.

"Just 10 days ago, we inked a purchase agreement for three ATR-72-500 series aircraft," Pokharel announced. He further disclosed that each aircraft will be obtained at a cost of Rs 770 million, and the process of initiating Letters of Credit (LCs) for these purchases is already underway. Kuber Group, which holds an 80 percent stake in the airline, is committing Rs 2 billion towards this venture.

In a strategic move, Saurya Airlines is exploring the transformation of their existing aircraft into air ambulances. "We are currently conducting a feasibility study to repurpose our current aircraft for air ambulance services," Chairman Pokharel stated. Plans are being examined to establish air ambulance operations from Pokhara and Bhairahawa.

Presently, two of the airline's three jet engine aircraft are serving routes to Pokhara, Bhadrapur, Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj, and other destinations. The decision to shift away from jet engines comes after the realization that these aircraft were not generating the expected financial benefits, resulting in a monthly loss of Rs 60 million.

 
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