AFTER nearly three decades, Nepal has revived direct flights to Sri Lanka with Himalaya Airlines’ new link between Kathmandu and Colombo.
The airline made the maiden flight, a charter service, last week aboard a 158-seater Airbus A320.
Newly-launched Himalaya Airlines is under joint Nepalese and Chinese ownership, with Himalayan Infrastructure Fund Aviation Investment and Yeti World Investment holding a 51 per cent stake, and Tibet Airlines owning 49 per cent.
Former national carrier Royal Nepal Airlines used to operate direct flights to Colombo during the 1980s, but flights were suspended due to poor loads that arose from armed revolt in Sri Lanka.
Suresh Mendis, CEO of Colombo-based Classic Travel, said that there is a market for direct services between Kathmandu and Colombo, as it cuts short travel time to about four hours from the current 10 hours.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan budget carrier Mihin Lanka has plans to launch scheduled direct flights to Kathmandu, but no dates have been finalised yet.
Sri Lanka is Nepal’s fourth largest source market after India, China and the US.
