Int'l airlines add flights to Nepal for peak tourist season

International airlines have been adding flights or increasing flight frequency to Nepal to handle the anticipated swell in tourist inflow with the autumn season approaching.

Thai Airways, Qatar Airways, Dragonair, Air China, China Southern Airlines and Fly Dubai have received permission to operate extra flights to Kathmandu while Etihad Airways, Gulf Air and Silk Air are planning to increase their frequency, according to Saturday's eKantipur.com report.

Officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said that Air China, China Southern and Fly Dubai are operating additional flights with a temporary operating permit (TOP).

The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has allowed international airlines serving Nepal to operate additional flights during 2011 under the TOP scheme due to expected surge in tourist arrivals during Nepal Tourism Year.

Bhutan's national carrier Druk Air, which currently operates daily flights between Kathmandu and Paro, has applied for six additional flights weekly under the TOP from Sept. 29.

"We are processing the application of Druk Air," said Ram Dinesh Lal Karna, manager of CAAN's flight permission section.

CAAN has allowed Air China and China Southern Airlines to add three and four flights per week respectively, increasing their frequency to seven per week.

Similarly, Fly Dubai has been granted seven additional flights under the TOP for a total of 14 flights per week. The extra flights granted under the TOP will be valid till 2011-end.