Strong & Efficient RNAC
Vital For Tourism Development

By Yug Bahadur

IT WOULD be stating the obvious to say that tourism is the most thriving industry of Nepal. This sector not only earns a huge amount of foreign currency, but it also gives employment opportunities to a wide spectrum of people. This can’t be said of other industries, which may be bringing in equal revenue as tourism, but that don’t provide as much scope for employment.

Reasons

There are enough reasons for foreigners to come and visit Nepal. The highest mountains in the world, exotic trekking areas and the unique culture and friendly people, this country has it all. Perhaps here are few destinations, which can match Nepal in terms of the rich variety of natural and cultural richness that it has.

However, no matter how beautiful a place may be and how exotic it is, people cannot get to the place unless there are reliable modes of transportation to take them there. No one has to be reminded that the fastest, safest and most comfortable way of getting anywhere in the present day world, is by air. But unfortunately, those in the travel business complain that the country does not have enough air seats coming in.

Furthermore, the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation, the National Flag carrier, has also constantly been handicapped by political interference and bureaucratic red tapism and it has not been able to soar as high as it should have. There is no doubt there are weaknesses within the Corporation itself, but this is mainly on management side and even such mismanagement or corruption stems from constant political interference.

How much such "outside pressure" affects the smooth functioning of the Corporation, can be seen by the tough time it has been facing in leasing a wide-bodied aircraft which is so essential for it to expand its routes and fulfill its international schedules.

It is almost a decade since aviation experts recommended that RNAC acquire a wide-bodied aircraft for its long haul routes. But year after year, the Corporation saw only proposals and tenders, but no aircraft. This greatly retarded the Airline’s growth. Meanwhile, the Corporation also lost hefty amounts of money in its efforts to lease a wide-bodied aircraft and once again it were politicians and their stooges who where to blame.

While loss in hard currency can be calculated, perhaps the loss of image and credibility of Airlines, can never be summed up in terms of money. Then again, how much the country’s tourism suffered because of a weak and unreliable National Airlines, few people are bothering to look into.

In fact, with the few aircraft it has, RNAC has always been stretched to the limit to just manage all their scheduled flights. If there is a snag in any sector, all other flights are affected and the airline loses both money and credibility. No doubt there are not enough words to denounce a criminal act like that of the Chase Air Scandal but equally worse are vested interests who under the pretext of cautioning another Chase Air Scandal actually try to influence public opinion that all aircraft dealing companies are "Chase Air" and that every and any deal with RNAC is a "Chase Air" or "Dhameeja" Scandal. Not to be spared are also various political interests which oppose only for the sake of opposing.

Incidents like the Chase Air Scandal should not be allowed to take place, but at the same time, the options of the airlines should not be muzzled, specially when there are opportunities for it to expand and soar into higher skies. Allowing rarely gotten opportunities to fly away will be in the interest of neither RNAC nor Nepalese tourism. This is important for both the decision makers and others to realise.

There is no doubt, the growth in tourism is vital to uplift the national economy and bring prosperity to the people. And there can also be no two versions on the fact that a strong and efficient RNAC can play a vital role in the growth of tourism in the country. But even now, after the officials of the Corporation have virtually tied up a very good deal with a reputable airlines like Lauda Air to lease a wide body Boeing 767, obstacles are being created by vested interests to fail this deal.

According to the Executive Chairman of the Corporation who has been in the aviation sector for almost three decades, "the present lease contract is the "best" in every aspect. Not only in Lauda Air a very reputed company, it has also given the best options to RNAC while leasing the Boeing 767", he says in a TRN news report.

It is also surprising to note that a certain section of the local press choose to highlight "negatives" only and also based on rumors and do not even care to highlight even one advantage of this positive step taken by RNAC. It is every difficult to understand why such hue and cry is being made this time while trying to lease a much needed jet and with a very reputed airline. Why hasn’t this deal sailed smoothly as, say, the deal to extend the lease contract of the more expensive and smaller Boeing 757 of China Southwest Airlines specially when Nepalese pilots, after being dully certified, can themselves fly the Lauda Air B767, whereas the China South West B757 can only be flown by Chinese pilots!? This is quite intriguing. Furthermore, all the papers regarding the lease of Lauda Air 767, have been sent to the concerned authorities in the government and also lawmakers, so that they can see for themselves at what price the aircraft is being leased and how. "We also have a full approval of the Board of Directors and also the government," to CEO of RNAC told this writer. He himself says this is "now or never" situation for the Corporation. "If we don’t get the 767 now, we may never acquire a wide body place in the near future," Shrestha warned.

This would prove to be a huge setback for the struggling airline, which is running now with only three aircraft for all its international routes. Among the three, RNAC owns two of the Boeing 757s and it has leased one 757 from China Southwest Airlines. Papers show that present 767, which has more seats that China Southwest Airline’s 757, is also cheaper in terms of cost per seat.

Political Strife

However, it must also be explained why RNAC needs this forth aircraft in its fleet. The fact is, in spite of different problems that have been plaguing the country, now the least being the constant political strife, yet there are many foreigners who want to come and visit Nepal. This can be seen in the increased international flights to Kathmandu. Even a relative newcomer like Qatar Air has taken advantage of this situation and now it flies seven days a week to Europe. Why hasn’t RNAC been able to do the same?

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