Kathmandu. Nepal Airlines has emerged as the leading international carrier operating flights from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Kathmandu in terms of total passenger traffic in the month of September.
According to the Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines (NAC) carried the highest number of 53,262 passengers in the month of September. During the month, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) airlifted a total of 53,262 passengers including 28,178 visitors and 25,081 outgoing passengers.
The statistics confirm the expanding role of Nepal Airlines in connecting Nepal to major international destinations and supporting tourism and labour mobility.
According to the office, India’s national flag carrier Air India Corporation (AIC) is in second place with 43,271 passengers. Chinese joint venture Himalaya Airlines (HIM) ranked third with 42,119 passengers in the same period. Qatar Airways (QTR) and Fly Dubai (FDB), which fly from Nepal to Gulf destinations and European countries, completed the top five list, serving 39,278 and 36,409 passengers respectively.
Despite regional and economic challenges, the steady growth in international passenger numbers reflects a renewed confidence in air travel to and from Nepal.
The strong performance of both national and foreign carriers by tourism entrepreneurs has indicated the steady improvement and easy access of Nepal’s aviation sector, the important role of airlines in trade and tourism promotion.
Influencers have continued their efforts to reassure foreign tourists through social media (Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram) giving the message that peace and order has been restored in Nepal internationally and the situation is heading towards normalcy, even though tourists have postponed their list of visits to Nepal due to the Gen G movement.
Tourism entrepreneurs are worried as the passengers have cancelled their pre-tour schedules during the main tourist season (October and November).
More number of passengers entering than exiting:
The number of passengers flying to destinations outside Nepal is higher than the number of passengers coming from Tribhuvan International Airport.
According to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Civil Aviation Office, a total of 195,876 passengers entered Nepal from September 30 to September 28 while 240,394 passengers departed for foreign countries.
According to the office, the number of people entering Nepal through airports is 23 percent more than the number of people entering Nepal through airports. The occupancy of international airlines is 20 percent higher when returning from Nepal.
