The Nepal Weekly 
November 8, 2022
Himalaya Airlines has started operating its flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA), Bhairaha, near Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. The airline operated flight to Kuala Lumpur as its first international destination from GBIA from 03 November, 2022, Thursday.
Himalaya Airlines was approved by Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Malaysia and other relevant overflying permits to operate from GBIA.
For the initial phase, the airline will be operating in the Bhairahawa-Kuala Lumpur-Bhairahawa sector, with expansion to other sectors in the coming future.
Addressing the operation plan, Mr. Vijay Shrestha, Vice-President-Administration, has remarked, “We have been rigorously working towards operating our scheduled flights from Bhairahawa. We are very optimistic that Himalaya Airlines’ operation from GBIA will cater towards better and stronger connectivity of various sectors of Nepal with international destinations, along with passengers’ convenience. GBIA is the country’s national pride and it shall definitely contribute in enhancing religious tourism. Therefore, we need to join hands together in this direction for a better future in the coming days. “
He also added that Himalaya Airlines will continue to provide standard inflight and ground services with Bhairahawa as the newly added sector to its network.
Himalaya Airlines is a Nepal – China joint venture which was established in 2014, with two core objectives; to promote people to people contact of Nepal with the other countries and to promote Nepal’s trade and tourism.
The airlines company is the joint alliance between Tibet Aviation Development & Investment Company Ltd. (TADIC) from Tibet Autonomous Region of The People’s Republic of China and Yeti World Investment Pvt. Ltd. of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Within a short span of seven years of establishment, H9 acquired 4 aircraft in its fleet; three Airbus 320-214 configured with 180 all-economy seats and one Airbus 319-115 with 144 economy seats. H9 is currently operating passenger flights to prominent countries of Middle East and South Asia: UAE, Malaysia, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bangladesh whereas cargo flights exclusively to & from China.
On December 2021, Himalaya Airlines became the first airline in Nepal to successfully achieve ISO 9001-2015 QMS certification. The airlines received the certificate in recognition of the organization’s Quality Management System (QMS) complying with ISO 9001-2015. The ISO certificate has been earned for “Providing Air Transport for Traveling Passengers and Freight, including Aviation Related Training Services.”
