Kathmandu, January 8
Preparations are underway to connect Kathmandu and Jakarta, capitals of Nepal and Indonesia respectively, via direct flights beginning June or July this year.
The national flag carrier of Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia, is preparing to fly to the Tribhuvan International Airport from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
The company has already picked Society International Travel Service as its general sales agent for Kathmandu flights. The agent company’s operation department chief Sangita Rauniyar says the flights are likely after around six months.
Meanwhile, there is also a plan to fly Nepal’s national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation also, to Jakarta. As per its 10-year business plan, the NAC hopes to fly to Jakarta among other destinations from 2023.
Of late, Indonesia has emerged as a favourite destination for Nepalis for holiday. Indonesia also provides the on-arrival visa facility for Nepalis. So far, people travelling between the two countries have been forced to take flights via Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia.
Via Jakarta, Nepal-Japan and Nepal-Australia routes will also get shorter, it has been hoped.
