Nicon Air To Start India-Nepal Flights From Oct

The Nepalese private airline, Nicon Air is planning to start three flights for various destinations between India and Nepal from October this year.

"We have got government permission for operating three flights from Kathmandu to Varanasi, Lucknow and Calcutta. The flights will be operative soon after getting schedule clearance from Indian civil aviation authority _ Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)," Necon Air chairman and managing director Deepmani Rajbhandari said.

According to Rajbhandari, the official formalities will be completed in the next two months and the flights will be operative from three Indian destinations to Kathmandu from October this year.

 

"Initially, we will have flights three days a week for all the three Indian destinations," he said adding that the company has applied to the Nepal government to increase the frequency and number of destinations.

The company is keen to operate a daily flight between Delhi and Kathmandu and is awaiting Nepal government's permission.

According to the bilateral agreement, between the two countries, Nepal can operate maximum 6,000 seats per week. Currently, the share of state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines is 3,200. Nicon Air has total share of 610 seats per week out of the total pie, rest about 2,100 seats are shared between two private airlines Alpine Air and Air Nepal. However, the two airlines have not operated even a single flight between the two countries, according to industry sources.

Nicon Air is currently availing 240 seats per week out of total 610 seats allocated to the company by operating five-days a week flight between Patna and Kathmandu.

"However, after operating flights for three more destinations of Varanasi, Lucknow and Calcutta, we will cross the allocated limit. We will apply for more seat allocations to increase the number of flights from the three destinations," Rajbhandari said.

The Rs 41 crore (INR) private airline company boast to have a fleet of five 44-seater aircrafts.

"We plan to add two more aircraft in its fleet by 2001 by investing about Rs 13 crore (INR)," Rajbhandari said.

The airline had abandoned its three-days a week flight between Viratnagar and Calcutta in July 1999 due to low seat load factor.

"It was difficult to operate with an occupancy rate between 30-35 per cent for the sector, therefore we had decided to abandon the flight. Later, we worked out that instead of Viratnagar if we resume a flight between Calcutta and Kathman-du, it would make a good business sense," he said.

"So far Patna-Kathmandu flight is concerned, we are happy with the business, as it is showing good occupancy between 65 to 70 per cent," he said. The company has a sales office in Patna.