KATHMANDU: The Himalaya Airlines today launched direct flights between Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeeban Bahadur Shahi inaugurated the flight service to the Malaysian capital amidst a special ceremony at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) this morning.

The Nepal-China joint venture airline flagged off its Airbus 320 to Kuala Lumpur, making it the airline's 3rd international destination after Doha and Colombo.

Minister Shahi, MoCTCA Joint-Secretary Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, CAAN Director General Sanjiv Gautam, Nepal Tourism Board CEO Deepak Raj Joshi and Chargé d'affaires at the Kathmandu-based Malaysian Embassy Ahmad Phadil Ismail boarded the flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Minister Shahi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart and high officials on issues of mutual interests and tourism promotion.

Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia Niranjan Man Singh Basnyat along with the visiting Nepali delegation will apprise the Malaysian entrepreneurs and government officials of the scope of investment opportunities in Nepal and tourism promotion during, a special programme slated to be held this evening in Kuala Lumpur.

During a brief statement to mark the airline's launch of direct flight service between the two capitals, Airline's Vice-President-Administration, Vijay Shrestha, said the flights would be operated five days a week, except Tuesdays and Saturdays.

He expressed a belief that the operation of the flights would help in further boosting tourism between Nepal and Malaysia.

Himalaya Airlines has set the airfare for a round-trip flight between Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur at Rs 25,375 with tax excluded.

The Himalaya Airlines had started its scheduled flights to Doha of Qatar on May 13, 2016, and Colombo, Sri Lanka on October 1, 2016.

It plans to connect Kathmandu with Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, with the operation of direct flights from February 24.