Carriers such as Gorkha Airlines and Agni Air once operated in Nepalese skies but had to shut down due to various challenges, including the country’s unpredictable weather patterns, particularly in mountainous regions, which pose significant risks for flight operations. Airports like Lukla have experienced numerous crashes and have even been labeled “the most dangerous airport in the world.”

Airports like Lukla/ Tenzing-Hillary Airport, known for their dangerous landing conditions, require specialized aircraft and experienced pilots, further complicating operations; these are natural challenges in this nation. Another factor that doesn’t help the development of aviation in this nation is corruption, which is at a high-level. Nepal ranks 108 positions out of 180 countries in corruption. Nepal was mired in its biggest aviation scandal also known as “the wide body scandal” of more than a billion rupees. 

 

Despite these problems, airlines in Nepal strive to navigate the complexities of operating in this challenging environment of Nepalese skies.

Buddha Air

Buddha Air, whose name derives from “Buddha”, the peace emblem of Nepal, is the biggest airline in Nepal. It has 18 aircraft in its fleet – a combination of two ATR42s and sixteen ATR72 aircraft. This airline does not operate in the mountain region (STOL airports) of Nepal, and this is one of the contributory reasons why it has some of the best safety records in the nation. Buddha Air is currently operating to 14 destinations across the country and also offers flights to Banaras, India. 

The oldest aircraft of Buddha Air is ATR42 registered as 9N-AIM. This aircraft is also known as an active flight in Asia; this aircraft has 57,590 logged flight cycles. There are two other aircraft that have completed more than 50,000 flight cycles. The ATR42 registered as 9N-AIN has completed 57,439 flight cycles and the other ATR 72, registered as 9N-AJX has completed 53,371 flight cycles. Only five aircraft operated by Buddha are more than 20 years old. 

 

Yeti Airlines

Yeti Airlines was established in May 1998 after some months in August 1998 received its Air Operators Certificate. Yeti refers to the ape-like creature purported to inhabit the Himalayan region in Asia. Yeti started its journey with a Canadian-built DHC6-300 Twin Otter aircraft. In 2009 Yeti Airlines introduced its sister Tara Air for the STOL airport and the mountain region in Nepal. Tara Air operates DHC-6 Twin Otters.

Yeti Airlines has a total of 24 aircraft in its fleet history half of them are written off and stored because of an accident, some of the aircraft are sold to other airline companies and four aircraft are with Tara Air, there are seven aircraft in the current fleet. According to the planespotters.net, they currently operate ATR 42/72s, but they had four different types of aircraft in the past:

• British Aerospace Jetstream 41
• De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
• Embraer EMB-120 Brasília
• Saab 340

Yeti Airlines became the first airline in Nepal, and most probably South Asia, to successfully reduce and offset its total Greenhouse Gas.

Tara Air

Tara Air connects remote and rural regions across the country. Tara Air has Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter and De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Aircraft in its fleet.

Tara Air DHC-6 Twin Otter 9N-AEV in Jomsom airport
Photo: Solundir| Wikimedia Commons

Details of the current fleet 

Current Aircraft type	No of Aircraft	Historic Aircraft type	No of Aircraft
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	1	De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	5
Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter	2	Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter	1
Total	3		6

Through their history, Tara Air have had a total of 9 aircraft – three of them are in use and six of them are historic. 

Nepal Airlines

Nepal Airlines started as Royal Nepal Airline in July 1958. In October 1959 Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation became its sole owner. Royal Nepal started its journey with the Douglas DC-3 Dakota (28-seater). This aircraft became an icon of Nepal’s aviation history. Nepal Airlines currently operates flights in 10 different countries and 38 domestic destinations from its main hub at Tribhuvan International Airport. 

Nepal Airlines has operated a total of 12 aircraft in its history; only 6 are in use in the current fleet. Here are some more details of aircraft that Royal Nepal operates:

Current fleet	No of aircraft	Historic fleet	No of aircraft
Airbus A320-200	4	Boeing 757-200/Boeing 757-200M	1/1
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	2	De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	4
Total	6		6

Shree Airlines

Shree Airline is the second largest by fleet size, established in 1999. The airline was originally called Air Ananya and was later renamed as Shree Airlines. Shree Airline is the first private airline in Nepal to operate a fully owned fleet of five helicopters. The largest operator of Mi-17 helicopters in south-east Asia, Shree Airline is the only airline from Nepal and all of South and south-east Asia on the United Nations and World Food Program list of approved vendors.

Shree Airlines has three types of aircraft Bombardier CRJ-100 Series, Bombardier CRJ-700andDe Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8, and two types of helicopters here are some no of aircraft and helicopters that are operated by Shree Airline

Aircraft type	No of aircraft
Bombardier CRJ-100 Series	2
Bombardier CRJ-700	2
De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8	7
Total	11

Number of helicopter and their type 

Helicopter type	No Of Helicopter
MI-17	6
Eurocopter AS350 B3e	4
Total	10

Shree Airlines operates 11 aircraft to 8 different destinations in Nepal, During the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal, Shree Airlines carried out charter flights to Singapore, marking the airline’s international flight debut. 

Summit Air 

Summit Air started its operation in 2011 with two of its Cessna Grand Caravan, it focused its operation in STOL airfields of Nepal. Summit Air is known as Goma Air, the name was changed in 2018 from Goma Air to Summit Air. In 2014, Fishtail Air signed a deal with Goma Air to enhance Nepal’s tourism, Fishtail Air changed its name to Summit Helicopters to visualize the cooperation on 11 June 2018

Summit Air offers you to different destinations in Nepal. Summit Air also offers you mountain flight from Simikot.The flight gives you a chance to embark on a mountain flight and enjoy the majestic view of Mt.Kailash, Mt.Api, and Mt.Saipal along with calm and perfectly transparent blue lakes. You can also enjoy an overview of Simikot and its different peaks.

Sita air

Sita Air got their air operators certificate in 2000 and after three years in 2003 they started their first flight with a single Dornier 228. Today the company has four Dornier DO-228 Aircraft. The airline’s main base is Tribhuvan International Airport with hubs at Pokhara Airport and Nepalgunj Airport.

SITA AIR DORNIER 228 9N-AHB AT KATHMANDU TRIBHUVAN AIRPORT NEPAL
Photo:calflier001|Wikimedia Commons

Sita Air is mostly known for regular STOL flights to the remote mountain location of Nepal catering to visiting international tourists as well as locals. They operate 11 different domestic airports with their aircraft.

 Saurya Airlines

Saurya Airlines started their fleet with Bombardier CRJ-200, on 18 August 2014, Saurya Airlines was the first airline to operate the Canadair Regional Jet in Nepal. Saurya Airlines was constrained to operate charter flights as per the regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal after the company failed to meet the minimum required number of aircraft needed to operate as a scheduled passenger carrier.

Saurya Airline has a total of three aircraft in its fleet all of them are Bombardier CRJ-200s here are some details of the aircraft. 

Aircraft type	Engine	Registered No	Status
BombardierCRJ-200	2x GE	9N-ANM	In use
BombardierCRJ-200	2x GE	9N-ALE	Stored
BombardierCRJ-200	2x GE	9N-AME	Written off