Kathmandu, September 9

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is preparing to reassess its Boeing aircraft named ‘Karnali’.

After failing to receive any buyers for the Boeing 757 - 200 series aircraft, NAC has started preparations for reassessment of the aircraft. Prior to this, NAC had set Rs 760 million as minimum price of the aircraft for auction. However, NAC failed to receive any proposals for the aircraft procurement and has decided to revalue the aircraft.

Earlier, NAC had called a tender twice for the auction of the aircraft. The national flag carrier had called the first tender notice on June 26 setting a 45-day time limitation for proposal submission. However, it did not receive any proposals from any airline company or individual person. After that NAC again published a second notice for the auction on August 14 extending the bidding deadline by 15 days.

As per officials of NAC, it received two proposals the second time, however, both of them were unqualified. Thus NAC has now decided to reassess the value of the Boeing aircraft and will call the third tender notice only after revaluing the aircraft. Karnali, which was purchased in 1987, has the capacity to carry 190 passengers.

Prior to this, NAC had sold its first Boeing 757 - 200 9N-ACA aircraft through auction to a Nepali airline company called BB Airways. The first Boeing had touched down in Kathmandu in 1972. With a capacity to carry 123 passengers, it connected Kathmandu with regional destinations and remained in service until 1993.

Once the second Boeing is also auctioned, NAC will have a fleet comprising 13 aircraft, of which two are MA 60, four Y12E, two Airbus A320-200 narrow-body and two Airbus A330-200 wide-body and three Twin Otters. NAC is also planning to bring six new Twin Otter aircraft and replace the existing three Twin Otter planes.

Currently, NAC is operating international flights to Dubai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangkok, Osaka and Qatar as well as 25 domestic destinations.