With the cease-fire turning into permanent peace, the entire tourism industry is in the process of revival. Both the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leaderships have expressed their commitment that they would give the much-required positive message to the country soon by holding summit peace talks before the Dashain festival.

Against this backdrop, some six international airlines are in the process of operating their flights to Nepal soon. According to the latest news reports, GMG Bangladesh, Orient Thai, Air Arabia, Korean Air, Etihad, and Sri Lankan Airlines are flying to Kathmandu as a new destination.

GMG Bangladesh Airlines said it would conduct flights on the Dhaka-Kathmandu route from October. According to Mr. Joy Dewan, managing director of Zenith Travels (P) Ltd. that represents GMG Bangladesh Airlines in Nepal, the airlines has plans to operate three flights a week from October 25, 2006.

Orient Thai Airlines, a budget airline from Thailand, and Air Arabia, a national budget airline of United Arab Emirates (UAE) have already forwarded the process to take permission from the Nepal Government in order to operate their flights. 

Orient Thai wants to operate three flights a week on Bangkok-Kathmandu-Bangkok route. Similarly, Air Arabia has requested the government to allow it to operate seven flights a week on Sharjah-Kathmandu-Sarjah sector.

Likewise, Korean Air is planning to operate direct-chartered flights to Kathmandu from Incheon, South Korea from the second week of November this year. And Eithad Airways, the national airline of UAE, has received permission from the Nepal Government to operate four weekly flights on Abu Dhabi-Kathmandu-Abu Dhabi route.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Airlines is willing to fly to Kathmandu via New Delhi. The airline is likely to start its flights on this sector only after the renewal of air services agreement between Nepal and India.