KATHMANDU: The Sri Lankan Airlines has launched a direct flight from Sri Lanka to Nepal today. An aircraft –’A’ 320 of Sri Lankan Airlines that took off from Colombo landed at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, at 10:24 am.
A total of 132 passengers were in the airplane. General Manager at the TIA, Pratap Babu Tiwari, said that regular flight from Colombo to Kathmandu has been started.
He shared that the aircraft of the Sri Lankan Airlines with 149 passengers on board has flown for Colombo again at 11:10 am from Kathmandu.
According to TIA, there would be two flights in a week – Tuesday and Saturday. The direct flight from Kathmandu-Colombo takes around three and half hours.
Permission has been granted to the Sri Lankan Airlines to operate two flights in a week, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The airlines had applied for the aviation permit for the summer season till September 4 and the company would also apply for further flight permission by assessing the situation.
It has shown interest to conduct flight at the Gautam Buddha International Airport which is under construction in Bhairahawa. Official travel agency in Nepal, Zenith Travels, said the flight was being launched, considering the Nepalis visiting Sri Lanka.
It may boost tourism in Nepal when the pandemic subsides. Currently, the Sri Lankan Airlines is conducting flights in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Maldives and Dubai. It has also planned to expand its service to Japan, Australia and London, the Travels added.
