Nepal Airlines 1214527 225370522 2008-07-13T09:39:41Z 219.77.186.228 /* Destinations */ {{Infobox Airline |airline = Nepal Airlines |logo = |logo_size = 123 |fleet_size = 9 |destinations = 38 (8 international) |IATA = RA |ICAO = RNA |callsign = NEPAL |parent = [[Parliament of Nepal|Government Of Nepal]] |company_slogan = |founded = 1958 |headquarters = [[Kathmandu]] |key_people = |hubs = [[Tribhuvan International Airport]] |secondary_hubs = [[Pokhara Airport]] |focus_cities = |website = http://www.royalnepal-airlines.com/ }} '''Nepal Airlines''', formerly known as "Royal Nepal Airlines", is an [[airline]] based in [[Kathmandu]], [[Nepal]]. It is the government owned national flag-carrier airline and operates more than 30 domestic and 7 international routes. Its main base is [[Tribhuvan International Airport]], Kathmandu. == History == The airline was established in July [[1958]] as Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) with one [[Douglas DC-3]]. At the beginning its services was limited to [[Simara]], [[Pokhara]], [[Biratnagar]] and [[India]]n cities like [[Patna]], [[Calcutta]] and [[Delhi]]. Soon after, a turboprop [[Fokker F27]] was added to the airline's fleet. <ref name="RN">[http://www.royalnepal-airlines.com/ Nepal Airlines] retrieved 18 November 2006</ref> [[Twin Otter]] and [[Pilatus Porter]] aircraft joined the airline's fleet in [[1970]], allowing access to the more remote and mountainous regions of the Kingdom. After extension of the runway of Kathmandu in [[1972]], RNA acquired [[Avro 748|Hawker Siddeley HS-748]] and [[Boeing 727]]. Two [[Boeing 757]]s gradually replaced the airline's [[Boeing 727]]s. In [[2003]] and [[2004]] it was reported that the Nepal Government had decided to sell off 49% of its stake in Nepal Airlines to the private sector and hand over management control, while retaining a 51% share. This would provide the investment to get the airline out of the red. Operations have been discontinued to Bangalore, Bombay/Mumbai, Calcutta/Kolkata,Dhaka, Frankfurt, Karachi and London Gatwick. <ref> [http://www.nepalnews.com/contents/englishdaily/trn/2003/mar/mar10/features1.htm The Rising Nepal] 10 March 2003</ref> <ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041112/biz.htm Tribune India] 12 November 2004</ref> The former chairman of the virtually bankrupt Nepal Airlines was jailed for massive corruption in February [[2005]]. <ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Call-for-democracy-rings-hollow/2005/02/08/1107625207073.html The Age] 9 February 2005</ref> The word "Royal" was dropped from the airline's name as a result of the [[2006 democracy movement in Nepal|political upheavals of 2006]]. == Destinations == As of July [[2007]], Nepal Airlines operates scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations [http://www.royalnepal-airlines.com/html_files/urgent_interna_schedule_fares.htm][http://www.royalnepal-airlines.com/html_files/urgent_domes_schedule_fares.htm]: ;South Asia [[Nepal]] <div style="width: 45%; float: left;"> * [[Bajhang]] ([[Bajhang Airport]]) * [[Bhairahawa]] ([[Gautam Buddha Airport]]) * [[Bharatpur, Nepal|Bharatpur]] ([[Bharatpur Airport]]) * [[Bhojpur, Nepal|Bhojpur]] ([[Bhojpur Airport]]) * [[Biratnagar]] ([[Biratnagar Airport]]) * [[Chaurjhari]] ([[Chaurjhari Airport]]) * [[Dang, Nepal|Dang]] ([[Dang Airport]]) * [[Dhangarhi]] ([[Dhangarhi Airport]]) * [[Dolpa District|Dolpa]] ([[Dolpa Airport]]) * [[Jomsom]] ([[Jomsom Airport]]) * [[Jumla]] ([[Jumla Airport]]) * [[Kageldanda]] ([[Kageldanda Airport]]) * [[Kathmandu]] ([[Tribhuvan International Airport]]) '''base/hub''' * [[Lamidanda]] ([[Lamidanda Airport]]) * [[Lukla]] ([[Lukla Airport]]) </div> <div style="width: 45%; float: left;"> * [[Manang]] ([[Manang Airport]]) * [[Nepalgunj]] ([[Nepalgunj Airport]]) * [[Phaplu]] ([[Phaplu Airport]]) * [[Pokhara]] ([[Pokhara Airport]]) * [[Ramecchap]] ([[Ramecchap Airport]]) * [[Rara]] ([[Rara Airport]]) * [[Rukumkot]] ([[Rukumkot Airport]]) * [[Rumjatar]] ([[Rumjatar Airport]]) * [[Sanfebagar]] ([[Sanfebagar Airport]]) * [[Doti District|Silgadi Doti]] ([[Silgadi Doti Airport]]) * [[Simara, Nepal|Simara]] ([[Simara Airport]]) * [[Simikot]] ([[Simikot Airport]]) * [[Surkhet]] ([[Surkhet Airport]]) * [[Taplejung District|Taplejung]] ([[Taplejung Airport]]) * [[Thamkharka]] ([[Thamkharka Airport]]) * [[Tumlingtar]] ([[Tumlingtar Airport]]) </div> <div style="clear: both;"></div> ;East Asia [[People's Republic of China|China]] *[[Hong Kong]] ([[Hong Kong International Airport]]) ;Southeast Asia [[Malaysia]] *[[Kuala Lumpur]] ([[Kuala Lumpur International Airport]]) [[Thailand]] *[[Bangkok]] ([[Suvarnabhumi Airport]]) ;Southwest Asia [[United Arab Emirates]] *[[Dubai]] ([[Dubai International Airport]]) == Incidents and accidents == *[[5 November]] [[1960]] - RNA [[Douglas DC-3|Douglas C-47A-80-DL]] (9N-AAD) crashed on take-off at [[Bhairawa Airport]] and caught fire. All four crew members were killed. There were no passengers on board. <ref name="AS">[http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?sorteer=datekey_desc&kind=%&cat=%&page=1&field=Operatorkey&var=5478 Aviation Safety Network] retrieved 18 November 2006</ref> *[[1 August]] [[1962]] - RNA [[Douglas DC-3|Douglas C-47A-DL]] (9N-AAH) on route from Kathmandu-[[Gaucher Airport]] to [[New Delhi]], radio contact was lost and the aircraft crashed near Tulachan Dhuri. The wreckage was found on [[9 August]] [[1962]] on a mountain top at 11,200 feet. All four crew and six passengers were killed. <ref name="AS"/> *[[12 July]] [[1969]] - RNA [[Douglas DC-3|Douglas DC-3D]] (9N-AAP) collided with a tree while flying over a cloud covered ridge at 7,300 feet at Hitauda, Nepal. All four crew and 31 passengers were killed. <ref name="AS"/> *[[25 January]] [[1970]] - RNA [[Fokker F27|Fokker F27-200]] (9N-AAR) after a flight from Kathmandu, was caught in severe thunderstorms with turbulence and down draughts on final approach to Delhi ([[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Palam Airport]]). The pilot couldn't control the aircraft and crashed short of the runway. Of the five crew and 18 passengers only one crew member was killed. <ref name="AS"/> *[[10 June]] [[1973]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter]] on a flight from [[Biratnagar]] to Kathmandu, was taken over by three hijackers who demanded money and escaped after landing in [[Bihar]], [[India]]. None of the three crew and 18 passengers were injured. <ref name="AS"/> *[[15 October]] [[1973]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300]] (9N-ABG) was damaged beyond repair at [[Lukla Airport]]. the three crew and three passengers were unhurt. <ref name="AS"/> *[[22 December]] [[1984]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300]] (9N-ABH) crashed off course near [[Bhojpur, Nepal]]. Bad weather and pilot error could have been the cause. All three crew were killed as well as 12 of the 20 passengers. <ref name="AS"/> *[[9 June]] [[1991]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300]] (9N-ABA), after a flight from Kathmandu, crashed on landing at [[Lukla Airport]] following an unstabilized approach in bad weather. All three crew and 14 passengers were killed. <ref name="AS"/> *[[5 July]] [[1992]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300]] (9N-ABB), lost directional control on takeoff from [[Jumla Airport]] on a flight to Surkhet. The aircraft ran off the runway and struck the airport [[perimeter fence]]. None of the three crew were injured and there were no passengers on board. <ref name="AS"/> *[[17 January]] [[1995]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300]] (9N-ABI), flight RA133 from Kathmandu to Rumjatar, had problems getting airborne at [[Tribhuvan International Airport]], struck the airfield perimeter fence and plunged into fields. Of three crew and 21 passengers, one crew member and one passenger were killed. <ref name="AS"/> *[[25 April]] [[1996]] - RNA [[Avro 748|BAe 748 Series 2B]] (9N-ABR) overran the runway at [[Meghauli Airport]], after a flight from Kathmandu, when landing in rain on the grass airstrip. The aircraft ran across some ditches, causing the nosegear to collapse. None of the 4 crew and 27 passengers were injured. <ref name="AS"/> *[[27 July]] [[2000]] - RNA [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300]] (9N-ABP), on a flight from [[Bajhang]] to [[Dhangadhi]], collided with trees on the 4,300 feet Jarayakhali hill on the Churia mountain range before catching fire. All 3 crew and 22 passengers were killed. <ref name="AS"/> ===2007 Goat Sacrifice=== On 2 September 2007 the airline confirmed that they had sacrificed two [[goat]]s as an offering to [[Akash Bhairab]], the [[Nepali]] God of the sky, whose image is featured on their aircraft. The sacrifice followed technical problems to one of the Boeing 757 aircraft in the fleet, and took place on the runway in front of the affected aircraft. The 757 later flew from [[Kathmandu]] to [[Hong Kong]] without problems.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6979292.stm |date = [[2007-09-05]] |title = Goats sacrificed to fix Nepal jet |accessdate = 2007-09-13 |publisher = BBC World}}</ref> == Fleet == As of May 2008, the fleet of Nepal Airlines include the following aircraft: <ref name="RN">[http://www.royalnepal-airlines.com/ Nepal Airlines] retrieved January 2008</ref> : <center> {| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse" |+ '''Nepal Airlines Fleet''' |- bgcolor=lightgrey !Aircraft !Total !Passengers <br> <small>(Business/Economy)</small> !Routes !Notes |- |[[Boeing 757|Boeing 757-200]] |2 |190<br>(16/174) |International | |- |[[DHC-6 Twin Otter]] |5 |19<br>(0/19) |Domestic | |} </center> == External links == * [http://www.royalnepal-airlines.com/ Nepal Airlines] == References == <references/> {{Airlines of Nepal}} {{Aviation lists}} [[Category:Airlines of Nepal]] [[Category:Airlines established in 1958]] [[da:Nepal Airlines]] [[de:Nepal Airlines]] [[fr:Royal Nepal Airlines]] [[ja:ネパール航空]] [[zh:尼泊尔航空]]