15 December 2009
flydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline, was on top of the world after touching down (15 December 2009) in Kathmandu, Nepal, home to the planet’s highest point – Mount Everest. The spectacular Himalayan nation was the second new destination in under a week for the airline after it commenced flights to Bahrain on Sunday.
The dramatic mountain range route becomes the eleventh in flydubai’s network and its first east of Dubai. Kathmandu is also the furthest destination reached by flydubai’s Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft at 3,000kms from Dubai and a flying time of three hours and 55 minutes.
A special welcoming committee including Mr Shtrudhn Prasad Singh, State Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism; Mr Subash Niraula, Officiating CEO, Nepal Tourism Board; Mr Dinesh Prasad Shrestha, General Manager, Tribhuvan International Airport; Mr RS Bajracharya, Deputy Inspector General and Chief of Airport security; Mr SR Prasai, Chairman, Universal Tours and Travels and other officials from the ministry and the Nepal Tourism Board greeted the aircraft and its passengers on arrival.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, was also on board: “This is a great time for flydubai. The past four weeks have been one of the busiest periods since we launched. We signed major aircraft financing agreements worth nearly USD 200 million at the Dubai Airshow and we have opened routes to Khartoum, Baku, Bahrain and now Kathmandu.”
The thriving capital of Nepal is becoming a popular destination for hundreds of thousands of tourists, many of them coming for the breathtaking views and treks of the Himalayas. Almost three times as many tourists have visited the region in the first half of this year as in the same period in 2008, said the country’s tourism authority.
“Our strategy is to combine well-known routes that enjoy a service from many airlines, with routes that are less popular and are under-served by the larger carriers. Kathmandu is a great destination with room for more services and I’m confident that flydubai’s simple, low cost fares will prove to be very popular on this route. Nepal is an experience waiting to happen, and we will make it happen,” Al Ghaith added.
Kathmandu is Nepal’s main business centre and has a population of just over three million. The city is documented by many travellers as one of the most beautiful and mysterious locations in the world, and is often the starting point for travellers who visit the Himalayas and in particular the base camp of Mount Everest each year. Everest reaches a peak of 8,850 metres (29,035 feet).
On the occasion, Mr Shtrudhn Prasad Singh, State Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism said: “The commencement of flydubai’s direct connection between Dubai and Kathmandu will provide greater access to the Nepali community in UAE and will surely enhance future trade, commerce and tourism between the two countries. We are happy to know that flydubai operating out of Dubai International Airport will provide greater access to world travellers from Dubai into Kathmandu with increased convenience. We welcome flydubai into Nepal.”
flydubai operates four flights a week to Kathmandu. FZ 567 leaves Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 2 at 07:00 and arrives at 12:40 local time on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The return flight (FZ 568) leaves Kathmandu at 13:40 and arrives in Dubai at 17:10. Fares start from just AED 350 one way.
flydubai’s growing network also includes Beirut-Lebanon, Amman-Jordan, Damascus and Aleppo-Syria, Alexandria-Egypt, Djibouti, Doha-Qatar, Khartoum–Sudan, Baku-Azerbaijan and Bahrain.
Ras Al Khaimah www.rasalkhaimah.eu
Unravel Travel www.unraveltravel.eu
Kathmandu, the capital city, is the largest Metropolitan city of Nepal. The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1400 m in valley surrounded by four major mountains- Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. Durbar Square, Kaasthamandap, Dharahara, Thamel, Narayanhiti Palace Museum, Pashupatinath Temple, Swoyambhunath and Boudhanath are the major tourist destinations in Kathmandu.
