16 Feb 2009
NEW DELHI, -- Kathmandu-based Incentive group of companies is close to finalising talks with AirAsia to begin direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to the Himalayan capital.
Incentive group chairman Hariman Lama said regardless of the ongoing global economic slowdown, both parties were sorting out final details to operate the first chartered flight between the two destinations by this July.
"Final discussions are underway, we need to finalise some fee issues, like the ground-handling charges and the airport tax. We are discussing with the Nepalese government and Nepal Tourism Ministry," Lama told Bernama.
"By July we will have our first charter flight and later operate full commercial flight," he said from Kathmandu.
Lama said initially there would be two flights per week, largely targeting the tourist segment and the increasing Nepalese students heading to Australia via Malaysia for high education.
"We will be targeting Korean and Japanese tourists visiting Kota Kinabalu, and AirAsia has flights to Sabah. So we can use Kuala Lumpur as a gateway. Recently Kuala Lumpur has become a major destination for Nepalese and they will add to our traffic volume," he said.
About 400,000 Nepalese are currently working in Malaysia.
At present, only Nepal Airlines operates direct flights to Malaysia from Kathmandu.
Last month, AirAsiaX, a subsidiary of AirAsia, started its inaugural flight to India by connecting to Tiruchi, the fourth largest city in south India.
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