Dec 24, 2023: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is on the verge of realizing a long-awaited milestone with plans for a direct flight between Nepal and Australia. The initiative, stemming from the air agreement reached between Nepal and Australia in 2019, is currently in its finalization phase.
Ramesh Poudel, the spokesperson for NAC, revealed that the corporation has secured a flying time slot at Sydney Airport and is presently awaiting flight permission from the Australian Civil Aviation. All necessary procedures, including a written request for approval submitted to the Australian Civil Aviation Authority, have been completed.
Poudel conveyed that every requisite process has been concluded at the national level, with the embassy actively pursuing approval. Anticipating a launch in the coming months, he highlighted the ongoing wait for the official authorization letter after the allocation of flight slots by Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport for Thursday and Saturday.
“We have completed all necessary documents at the Australian Civil Aviation Authority, and now we are waiting for the flight permit,” stated Poudel.
The NAC informed that the flight permit process has received the stamp of approval from the Nepalese government, the Ministry of Tourism, and the airline itself. The embassy is playing a facilitating role in the entire process.
Australia, home to approximately 200,000 Nepalese residents, boasts a dense Nepali population. In a strategic move, NAC’s Airbus 330 aircraft, unable to reach Australia directly, proposes a refueling stop in Singapore. This development marks a significant step forward for Nepal Airlines Corporation, the country’s flag carrier, which previously operated chartered flights from Sydney and Melbourne during the COVID-19 outbreak.
