Nepal and Oman agree to increase weekly flights to 21
Travelbiznews Report —————
Kathmandu: Nepal and Oman have agreed to increase number of flights between the two countries from seven to 21 per week. Nepal and Oman signed a revised air service agreement (ASA ) on regulating air services, at the headquarters of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation in Muscat on December 29.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Anwar bin Abdullah Al Raisi, acting Director General of Civil Aviation Regularisation on behalf of the Sultanate, and Suresh Man Shrestha , Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on behalf of Nepal.
According to Times of Oman, the MoU amends the agreement that was initialled in 1997. Two articles have been added on air safety, recognition of certificates, approvals, amending the name of the civil aviation authority in the Sultanate and amending the route tables annexed to the agreement.
The MoU also opens the horizons between the two countries to operate any number of air cargo flights without any restrictions.
The two sides also agreed on the common codes that will allow the national carriers to sign common codes with national carriers in other countries to utilise the rights provided by this MoU. It also provides for enhancing cooperation in technical fields including navigation, safety and meteorology.
Both the countries will increase the flights to 28 per week with effect from January 1, 2016.
Nepal and Oman first signed an ASA on Dec 2, 1997. Oman Air launched services between Muscat and Kathmandu on September 2, 2010 with four weekly flights and the frequency was increased to seven weekly flights in 2011.
According to Tourism Ministry, Nepal has revised bilateral ASAs with three countries in the last one and a half years. Nepal and the UAE signed an enhanced ASA permitting operation of 70 flights per week with any type of aircraft on a reciprocal basis on April 2013,
The ASA with China was revised in February permitting the operation of 56 flights from 14 flights per week and the ASA with Bhutan was revised in May increasing the number of flights between the two countries three-fold to 21 per week with any type of aircraft.
Nepal plans to sign new ASAs with Australia, Iceland, Cambodia and Vietnam and revise the ASAs with Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Nepal has signed bilateral air service agreements with 36 countries.
Dec. 30, 2014
