The number of flights has been increased rapidly from international airlines to domestic airlines too, these days. However, it has not been able to operate its domestic flights in a full-edged manner to many of the cities because of lack of human resources. And in case of International Airlines, they have not been able to increase the destination places directly. Also, Nepal Airline Corporation has acquired new Airbus A330-200 on June and another in august. And in case of purchasing those aircrafts, huge loan has been taken by NAC which in result NAC is reeling under a huge debt now.
Nepal Airlines Corporation has not been able to fully operate its wide body-aircraft due to lack of international destination. NAC has been operating its aircraft to only 17 international destinations which is below their full capacity. So, now based on the report of Himalayan Times released on August 6 and interview reviewed with the newly appointed Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai, the plan for betterment of the airlines has been started to conduct. According to Yogesh Bhattarai, the ministry of culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation is preparing to form a task force to study the problems arising in Nepal Airlines Corporations. Once, the task force is formed they would be conducting overall study regarding the weakness and strengths of NAC from the previous examined studies as well and also mind the core problem of NAC. He added that task force would be given 1 month’s due for going through the study report and submit conclusion.
Nepal Airlines Corporation having a debt although now has to come up with a long-term vision so to expand its business and become financially stable for which they cannot ask a financial support with Government as well because Government are to help them only at the crucial times but cannot help financial on every planning and situations. So, based on the plan once the conclusion report is submitted, they would be planning for operational modality of NAC and decide on other actions to make NAC independent.
In addition of the plan, NAC is heading up to start operating flights to Osaka, Japan from August 29. Moreover, they have announced that chartered flights to Narita would be operating as a marketing gimmick. Plans are also afoot to operate flights to China, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
In gist, even though these plans seems difficult to run because of debt to be left to pay and has been suffering through financial crisis; Bhattarai expresses his optimism on being able to make a turnaround and fly out of the turbulence it was facing.
