June 29: Nepal Airlines Cooperation, the national flag carrier of Nepal, has landed its first ever Airbus A-330 aircraft in Kathmandu. The wide-body aircraft landed in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu on June 28 after completing 9 hours long voyage after taking off from Toulouse, France.
The aircraft has been named 'Annapurna' by the airlines authorities.
NAC bought the wide-body aircraft for USD 10.4 billion from AAR Corp of the United State. Nepal Airlines had earlier signed an agreement to procure two factory-made A330 wide-body aircraft with AAR Corp. The American company has informed to deliver the second aircraft within 90 days.
NAC had acquired Rs 12 billion loan from each of Employees Provident Fund and Citizen Investment Trust for the purchase of the aircraft.
The aircraft has 274 seats for the passengers. The seats of Annapurna A330 aircraft has been divided into two classes - business and economy. The business class' seat configuration has been named as Shangrila which has 18 seats and the remaining 256 seats of the aircraft have been separated for the economy class.
Managing Director of NAC, Saugat Ratna Kansakar, and Spokesperson Rabindra Shrestha along with 17 other members of the airlines arrived with the A330 aircraft in Kathmandu. The aircraft was welcomed with a grand ceremony and water cannon.
Kansakar, during the welcome ceremony, reiterated that the airlines is determined to improve its service to satisfy its passengers by providing quality service. Additionally, he also informed that the airlines will operate domestic flights to each of the functional airports of the nation.
Rabindra Shrestha, spokesperson of NAC, informed that the airlines aims to start the operation of the A330 aircraft from July after receive the approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
He also informed that the aircraft will fly to Dubai and Qatar in its first phase and then to Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arab in the second phase.
NAC in a statement informed that it has invested Rs 21.9 billion for the purchase of the two Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft.
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