Kathmandu, September 29
Himalayan Airlines has resumed regular direct flights between Kathmandu and Shanghai, with services between Tribhuvan International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport restarting on Monday.
Himalayan Airlines flight H9780 departed Kathmandu for Shanghai at 7:11 pm on Monday and landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 2:36 am Tuesday, Chinese time. The aircraft landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at 8:13 am Tuesday, Nepal time.
With the resumption of the service, Himalayan Airlines has become the only airline operating regular direct flights on the Kathmandu-Shanghai-Kathmandu route. The service restores an important air link between Nepal and Shanghai, one of China’s major global cities.
The airline is initially operating two flights a week on the route. Flights from Kathmandu to Shanghai will depart every Monday and Friday, while return flights from Shanghai to Kathmandu will operate every Tuesday and Saturday. The company said it may increase the number of flights based on passenger demand and load factors.
The Kathmandu-Shanghai service provides passengers with direct air connectivity between Nepal’s capital and Shanghai, China’s largest city and a major global financial centre.
The company said the resumption of the service at the beginning of Nepal’s main tourism season would further enhance the strategic importance of the route. It expects the service to significantly increase the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal and contribute positively to the hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as support Nepal’s economic recovery and growth.
Himalayan Airlines Vice President Bijay Shrestha said the company was committed to strengthening trade, tourism and people-to-people ties between Nepal and China. He said the airline was continuously exploring new destinations in China and operating regular flights accordingly.
