Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 22:

With a view of enhancing bilateral aviation relations, a two-day long Nepal-Bangladesh air service agreement (ASA) review meeting began here today. The meeting, which is taking place for the second time after the two countries signed the accord some three decades ago, is likely to amend the existing agreement. This will open up avenues for private sector airlines to launch commercial operations between the two countries with increased frequencies and number of air seats. Yagya Prasad Gautam, joint secretary at the ministry of culture, tourism and civil aviation (MoCTCA) is leading the Nepali delegation, while A K Haroon Chowdhary, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Bangladesh is leading the Bangladeshi team. The bilateral ASA was signed in 1976 and initially aimed at promoting the national carriers of respective countries. The existing ASA allows seven flights a week and the number of annual air seats is limited at 40,000 for each.

“The meeting will mainly review the provisions of existing ASA. Considering numerous changes that have been observed in recent years in the aviation industry, this meeting will focus on updating the provisions at part with the changed context,” Gautam said. The major agendas of the meeting will be increment of air frequencies, number of seats and operation of private airlines in different sectors and routes between Nepal and Bangladesh. “Frequency and seat number limitation was mainly aimed at facilitating national carriers when the agreement was signed,” he said, adding that the meeting will explore possibilities to expand the frequency and the number of air seats. “The reviewed ASA will be signed tomorrow,” informed Gautam. Nepal so far has signed bilateral ASA with 35 countries. At present, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, national carrier of Bangladesh and Cosmic Air, a private Nepali airline operate scheduled flights between Kathmandu and Dhaka. Biman Bangladesh operates seven flights a week, while Cosmic Air flies three times a week on Kathmandu-Dhaka sector.

GMG plans Kathmandu flight

KATHMANDU: GMG Airlines, Bangladesh’s only private sector airline, plans to connect the capital cities of the two South Asian countries by the end of August. “GMG is planning to operate daily flights between Dhaka and Kathmandu once the existing provisions in the bilateral ASA are amended,” said Virendra Nautiyal, director commercial - international operations of GMG Airlines. Nautiyal, who is in the capital to take part in the meeting, also said that the ongoing meeting would be fruitful in expansion of frequency and seat number that will pave way for the operation of the private airlines. According to him, GMG has three aircrafts — Dash 8/ 100 and 300 series — in its fleet and currently operates 32 flights a day. The airline also operates scheduled flights on Chittagong-Kolkata and Dhaka-Kolkata sectors.

“Once the amended ASA is signed at government level, we will start preparations for scheduled flight operations,” said Nautiyal, adding that the airline is soon adding two jet aircrafts. GMG plans Delhi, Mumbai, Bangkok and Colombo flights in future. “We are planning to become a regional carrier,” he added.