New air service agreement with Germany

By a staff reporter

In order to strengthen regular flights between Nepal and Germany, the two countries are preparing to reach a new air service agreement, according to a high level sources at the Civil Aviation Authority.

More flights: The new air agreement with germany will enable more airlines to fly from Europ to Nepal.

According to sources, a high level five-member team led by Barun Prasad Shrestha, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation left for Germany on Sunday.

The first air service agreement between Nepal and Germany was reached in 1987. Following this agreement Germany’s Lufthansa Air started its regular flights connecting the countries in the same year. And Nepal’s only international airline Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation started regular flights to Germany’s business capital Frankfurt.

Though provisions included in the new air service agreement are still not known, many tourism experts in Kathmandu believe that this agreement will help boost the arrival of European visitors to the Himalayan country. Many of them are also optimistic about operation of regular flights by Lufthansa Air, which stopped its flights to Kathmandu in August 1997 on  financial grounds.

Lining to get in : More flights from europ will mean more tourists coming in.

The decision of termination of regular flights by Lufthansa Air came at the same time when Germany and Nepal entered another agreement according to which nine passenger service flights and six cargo flights will be made in a week. Germany’s another airline LTO had also started operating regular charter flights connecting Kathmandu at the same time.

Though the airline officials showed financial losses as the reasons behind pulling out their flights, many believe that it is the lack of technical facilities at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). TIA has VHF Omni Directional Radio Range System, which is believed to be not adequate for international flights.

According to sources, some of the officials had also pointed out the need of instrument landing system at the TIA in order to make it a fully fledged international airport. The Civil Aviation Authority sources have also hinted at possibilities of discussion on the establishment of instrument landing system between the countries.

When Lufthansa Air terminated their flights to Kathmandu,  the number of European visitors coming to Nepal  had decreased. With the operation of Austrian Air, Transavia Airlines and other airlines connecting Nepal to Europe the number of European visitors are rising again.

Transavia doubles flight to Kathmandu

By a staff reporter

Transavia airlines, the Dutch carrier based in Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, is doubling the service between Kathmandu and Amsterdam from one to two flights a week. From 21st September this year Transavia will operate a Boeing 757 on Monday and Thursday of each week with a stop at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

This additional capacity, which means the ariline will be bringing more than 430 people a week into the country, will also mean that passengers have more choice in terms of departure dates and the length of their stay. Transavia expects many of the extra seats to be taken up by travellers going to and from other parts of Europe and USA connecting to the service at Amsterdam.

The return fare for the flight to Amsterdam starts at US $888 and travel agents in Nepal will be able to quote for connecting services to other parts of Europe and beyond.

Transavia airlines is 80% owned by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Originally set up in 1996, Transavia airlines is a separate airlines within the KLM Group that mainly operates charter flights and scheduled services from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to some 70 destinations in and around the Mediterranean. This summer Transavia is operating 25 aircraft on an intensive programme and expects to carry nearly 4 million passengers by the end of the year.

Transavia deliberately profiles itself as a ‘member of the KLM Group’ and is fully incorporated within the KLM network of scheduled services, which means that Transavia passengers can also take advantage of the benefits offered by the Flying Dutchman programmes.

Amsterdam Schiphol airport is one of the top four airports in Europe and is particularly convenient for connecting to other flights since all flights go through one well-designed terminal. There is no need to board buses or trains to get from one gate to another.

Radisson shares go for sale

By Bibek Bhatta

Oriental Hotels Limited, managed by Radisson Hotel launched the floating of it’s 12,50,000 units of share for the aspiring investors from yesterday (Tuesday).

It has set 24 collection centres in Kathmandu and 24 outside the valley to avoid hassles for the public and encourage their participation in capital market.

NIDC Capital Markets Ltd was appointed as the issue manager of the Radisson’s share.

The shares have already been underwritten by four banks and seventeen finance companies.