Непальские авиалинии: История и современность

Flag carrier of Nepal

Nepal Airlines Corporation , formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines , is the flag carrier of Nepal. Founded in 1958, it is the oldest airline of the country. Out of its main base at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, the airline operates domestic services within Nepal and medium haul services in Asia. The airline's first aircraft was a Douglas DC 3, used to serve domestic routes and a handful of destinations in India. The airline acquired its first jet aircraft, Boeing 727s, in 1972. As of February 2023, the airline operates a fleet of six aircraft. Since 2013, the airline has been on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union.

The airline was established in July 1958 as Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation with one Douglas DC 3. At the beginning, its services were limited to Simara, Pokhara and destinations to India such as Patna, Calcutta and Delhi. In 1961, Pilatus Porter STOL aircraft joined the fleet, and in 1963 12 seater Chinese Feng Shou 2 Harvesters were brought into service, opening up the kingdom's more remote routes. Nepal's geopolitical situation produced a strange, politically mixed fleet, which was typically financed through aid programs from the country of manufacture. Seven more Douglas DC 3s were added to the fleet between 1959 and 1964. Furthermore, China supplied a couple of Feng Shou 2 aircraft which did not enter scheduled service. Bell Helicopters leased from Singapore were also used for charters. Two Russian Mi 4 helicopters also flew on scheduled routes to remote points. The route network was expanded internally and externally, soon reaching Dhaka in what was then East Pakistan. In 1966, a turboprop Fokker F27 was added to the airline's fleet.

In 1970, RNAC acquired its first Hawker Siddeley HS 748 followed by Twin Otters in 1971 and Boeing 727s in 1972. Two Boeing 757s gradually replaced the airline's Boeing 727s in 1987. Adding to the airline's struggles as the millennium approached, were allegations of corruption which periodically surfaced. One case involved Dinesh Dhamija, who later founded the Ebookers Internet travel site. Dhamija had been accused of receiving his post as director of RNAC's European operations in the early 1990s on account of cronyism with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Dhamija won a substantial settlement with the airline after a bitter court battle over these charges. The former chairman of Nepal Airlines, Ramagya Chaturvedi, was jailed for corruption in February 2005. In September 2007, the airline confirmed that it had sacrificed two goats to appease a Hindu god following technical problems with one of its aircraft. Nepal Airlines said the animals were slaughtered in front of the plane, a Boeing 757, at Tribhuvan International Airport. The offering was made to Akash Bhairab, the Hindu god of sky protection, whose symbol is seen on the company's aircraft. The airline said that after Sunday's ceremony, the plane successfully completed a flight to Hong Kong. Raju KC, an airline official, was quoted as saying: “The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights.” The company did not say what the problem was, but reports in local media had blamed an electrical fault. From 2000 until 2010, there were no accidents with Nepal Airlines' aircraft involved. This is the longest period without such an incident in the history of the company.

In 2009, at the Dubai Airshow, Nepal Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire two Airbus A320 200 aircraft with the plans to operate flights to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In April 2014, Nepal Airlines unveiled new plane after taking delivery of Xian MA 60 aircraft as a gift from AVIC company of China. The "Red and Blue strips" livery were replaced by the new livery, which resembles the flag of Nepal. On 8 February 2015, Nepal Airlines received its first Airbus A320 aircraft, "Sagarmatha". On 30 April 2015, its second Airbus A320, "Lumbini," landed in Kathmandu. The aircraft was filled with 5 tonnes of aid material flown from the Airbus factory in Hamburg, to Nepal on delivery of the aircraft. The aid material was used in the relief effort for the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Both the aircraft were painted in the company's new livery. In 2015, Nepal Airlines flew 253,658 travellers, up 22.87 percent compared to the previous year, which saw the transport of 206,430 passengers. Similarly, it flew 42,535 domestic air passengers in 2015, an increase of 21.60% compared to the previous year. In 2016, one of the airline's aging Boeing 757 200 (Registration 9N ACA) was retired after three decades of service because of the non profitable operation with high maintenance costs; the airline sold it to BB Airways. The airline currently operates international flights with its two Airbus A320 200s and two A330 200s. On 16 July 2017, Nepal Airlines launched an online ticket booking service for international flights. In 2018, Nepal Airlines acquired two Airbus A330 200s via Hi Fly and AAR Corporation. The first of the two jets arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on 28 June and the second one on 26 July the same year. The airline plans to expand its international destinations by operating the newly added wide body jets to cities like Seoul Incheon, Tokyo, and Sydney. In November 2018, it was reported that Nepal Airlines was considering Ethiopian Airlines as a strategic partner ahead of a planned reorganization. In mid March, NAC retired its remaining Boeing 757 200M after three decades of service in order to focus on an Airbus only fleet. The company is likely to sell the aircraft soon. During the COVID 19 pandemic in Nepal, Nepal Airlines carried out rescue and evacuation charter flights while all of its scheduled flights were grounded from March 2020. In July 2020, Nepal Airlines retired its fleet of Chinese made Xian MA60 and Harbin Y 12 aircraft, as they were found unsuited for operations in Nepal. In May 2023, Nepal Airlines Corporation issued a tender notice regarding the proposed auction of its sole B757 200CB registered as 9N ACB (msn 23863), along with the engines, tools, and inventory. The reserve price is USD5.71 million. The plane has not flown since Nepal Airlines retired it in early 2018. Since then, it has remained parked at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport.

Nepal Airlines currently operates flights to 11 international and several domestic destinations from its main hub at Tribhuvan International Airport. The airline also operates domestic flights from its regional hubs at Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Pokhara.

Shangri La Class is Nepal Airlines' business class on all international flights. Shangri La Class consists of 18 seats on Airbus A330 aircraft with a six abreast configuration and 8 seats on the Airbus A320 aircraft with a four abreast configuration. Nepal Airlines serves Shangri La Class passengers a gourmet meal. Passengers are also provided with an array of drinks to choose, including complimentary wine, cocktail, vodka, and a range of cold drinks.

Nepal Airlines serves economy class passengers a meal, with options of either fish, chicken or mutton for their economy class passengers. Passengers can also request the vegetarian meal at the time of reservation. The economy seats in Airbus A330 aircraft are equipped with IFE system with options including 40 Asian movies, 30 TV programs and 20 music albums.

All of the Nepal Airlines' domestic fleets are configured with economy class only. Since most of the domestic flights are less than an hour long, passengers are provided with complimentary candies and cottons only.

5 November 1960 – A Royal Nepal Airlines Douglas C 47A 80 DL (9N AAD) crashed on take off at Bhairawa Airport and caught fire. All 4 crew members died. There were no passengers on board. 9 March 1961 – A Royal Nepal Airlines Pilatus PC 6 Porter crashed in Jiri. 1 August 1962 – 1962 Royal Nepal Airlines DC 3 crash: A Royal Nepal Airlines Douglas C 47A DL (9N AAH) en route from Kathmandu Gauchaur Airport to New Delhi Airport, radio contact was lost and the aircraft crashed near Tulachan Dhuri. The wreckage was found on 9 August 1962 on a mountain top at 11,200 feet. All four crew and six passengers died. 12 July 1969 – 1969 Royal Nepal Airlines DC 3 crash: A Royal Nepal Airlines Douglas DC 3D (9N AAP) collided with a tree while flying over a cloud covered ridge at 7,300 feet at Hetauda, Nepal. All 4 crew and 31 passengers died. 15 October 1973 – A Royal Nepal Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC 6 Twin Otter 300 (9N ABG) was damaged beyond repair at Lukla Airport; the three crew and three passengers were unhurt. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff. 19 November 1981 – A Royal Nepal Airlines Pilatus PC 6 Porter en route from Biratnagar Airport to Tribhuvan International Airport crashed shortly after takeoff. All 10 occupants were killed. 22 December 1984 – A Royal Nepal Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC 6 Twin Otter 300 (9N ABH) en route from Tumlingtar Airport to Tribhuvan International Airport crashed off course near Bhojpur, Nepal. Bad weather and pilot error could have been the cause. All three crew members were killed as well as 12 of the 20 passengers. 19 November 1998 – A Royal Nepal Airlines Pilatus PC 6 Porter crashed in Phakding. 27 July 2000 – 2000 Royal Nepal Airlines Twin Otter crash: A Royal Nepal Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC 6 Twin Otter 300 (9N ABP), on a flight from Bajhang to Dhangadhi, collided with trees on the 4,300 feet Jarayakhali hill on the Churia mountain range before catching fire. All 3 crew and 22 passengers were killed. 16 February 2014 – Nepal Airlines Flight 183: A Nepal Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC 6 Twin Otter (9N ABB) went missing en route to Jumla carrying 18 people aboard. It was later confirmed that the plane had crashed in Argakhachi.