NAC will add two aircraft: Minister Biswokarma

REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, July 1: Ailing national-flag carrier -- Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) -- will add two new aircraft to its fleet within next one-and-a-half month, if the statement of Minister for Tourism and Aviation Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma is anything to go by.

“NAC needs two new planes and those must be purchased by Sept 17 at any cost,” said Biswokarma. Interestingly, he even added that the present government will make it possible for NAC to bring in the two aircraft by Sept 17.


Biswokarma said this while addressing a program organized to mark its 53rd anniversary.

According to NAC, it has nine aircraft in its fleet at present. But only five of them are in condition to operate. It has not been able to buy new planes since more than two decades ago.

NAC operates its international flights with two Boeing 757s and given the technical glitches that surface now and again and C-checks they need to go through, NAC relies mostly on a single aircraft for international flights.

As that has sharply eroded the credibility and international image of the national flag carrier, Biswokarma laid emphasis on the need to expand NAC´s fleet and enhance quality of services.

“The corporation should place its clients at the centre,” said Biswokarma. He even suggested that the national flag expand and increase services in remote areas. “It should expand services without being profit-oriented,” Biswokarma added.

NAC officials informed that the financial health of the corporation in the last fiscal year remained poor and revenue it collected from ground handling -- the only profitable venture of NAC -- was just enough to provide salary to its staffers. NAC has around 1,400 employees.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr Ganesh Raj Joshi, said the Ministry was committed to revamp the financial condition and international image of the corporation.

NAC Executive Chairman Manrup Sahi, who was appointed just recently, said that his first priority would be to improve the internal administration and financial condition of NAC.