Tourism Minister Tamang stresses on protecting NAC's prestige

KATHMANDU, July 02: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang has said that all should protect the dignity of the national flag-carrier – the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). 

Addressing the 66th Anniversary Programme of NAC today, Minister Tamang said the dignity of the national flag-carrier, which has been successful in establishing a unique identity in the national and international civil aviation despite of various ups and downs, should not be tainted.

"The Nepal Airlines Corporation is entering into the 67th year after passing through a long history. It has been successful in creating its separate identity passing through various ups and downs in its long history. It is necessary to devise concrete plan for its further progress," Minister Tamang said.

A procession was organized in the morning today on the occasion. The procession set out from the NAC's central office at New Road passed through New Road, Basantapur, Aakash Bhairav, Ghantaghar, Bhadrakali and Sundhara before concluding at the NAC central office itself. 

Established on July 1, 1958 as the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation, NAC is the oldest airlines service provider entity of Nepal. It has been operating international flights from Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmandu to New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai of India, to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Narita of Japan, Doha of Qatar, Dubai of the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh of Saudi Arabia. NAC has been operating flights in international sector from two wide-body 'A' 330 and two narrow-body A320 series airplanes. 

Towards the domestic sector, NAC has been providing air services to more than 22 destinations in the remote areas. 

NAC started its flight services in the domestic and some destinations in India from Douglas DC-3 Dakota plane. It brought into operation its first jet airliner, the Boeing 727, in 2028 BS. The national flag-carrier had a total seven aircraft in its fleet as of July 13, 2020.

NAC operated domestic flights in the 1960s from Pilatus Porter aircraft and from the 12-seater Chinese Feng Sou-2 Harvester plane in 1962.