Australians could very soon have a new way to fly to South Asia, with Nepal Airlines reportedly a step closer to launching flights to Sydney.
A state-owned operation, Nepal Airlines has apparently secured a slot at Sydney International Airport, a spokesperson for the carrier has said.
Airline deputy spokesperson Ganesh Kumar Ghimire told the Kathmandu Post the flag carrier plans to launch services to Sydney from the Nepalese capital as soon as 21 June 2023.
“We are preparing accordingly. We are applying for landing permits and making other necessary preparations to meet the deadline,” he stated.
“The proposed June 21 flight, however, will depend on the issuance of the landing permits by the Australian government, even though we have secured the slots from the airport authority in Sydney.”
A source close to the matter told Karryon the airline had filed for, and been allocated, slots by the independent slot manager, Airport Coordination Australia (ACA).
The date for the commencement of services is still subject to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval, but the authorisation process is underway, the source said.
Single stop
While the Kathmandu-Sydney service will be direct, it won’t be non-stop, with Nepal Airlines planning to fly to Sydney on Thursdays and Sundays with a stopover in Singapore.
“In the first phase, we have decided to do a technical landing at Singapore – only for refuelling. We have planned to exercise the fifth freedom right in the second phase,” Ghimire said, referring to a condition that allows the airline to pick up or drop off passengers in Singapore in either direction.
Pre-pandemic, around 34 per cent of passengers from Australia flew to Kathmandu with China Southern Airlines (via Guangzhou), with 23 per cent flying with Malaysia Airlines and 20 per cent with Cathay Pacific, according to an unnamed report cited by the Post.
The report found that approximately 119,000 roundtrip passengers flew between Kathmandu and Sydney in 2019, with demand driven by Aussie tourists to Nepal and Nepalis visiting friends and relatives in Australia.
Three years coming
In October 2019, Australia signed an air service deal with Nepal that allows for commercial passenger services between the two countries.
On a recent visit to Nepal, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts told the Post the proposed connectivity would boost ties between the nations.
“There is an enormous demand for direct flights between Kathmandu and Sydney. Once it is established, I am certain that there would be no shortage of our people to buy tickets,” he said.
“The numbers will definitely rise as it will make it easier for Australian tourists to get in.”
Watts said more than 130,000 Nepalis live in Australia, including nearly 60,000 students.
UK-based Himalaya Jet also intends to fly to Sydney via Kathmandu, promising cheaper fares on premium full-service flights.
