Kathmandu, October 2
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadkaraj Paudel has said that the current financial and managerial condition of Nepal Airlines is extremely fragile. He said there would be no point in adding more aircraft to Nepal Airlines without carrying out structural reforms.
Speaking at a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee under the House of Representatives on Friday, Minister Paudel said adding aircraft alone would not restore the airline’s reputation unless improvements were made to its existing administrative structure and managerial weaknesses.
He said that if a private company were in the same condition, it would have already been forced to shut down. “The situation of Nepal Airlines is extremely serious. If it were a private company, it could have reached the point of liquidation. However, it was not established solely to make profits. As the national flag carrier, it is linked to tourism, employment, the private sector and national prestige. Therefore, major reforms and restructuring are necessary at the corporation,” he said.
Minister Paudel said Nepal Airlines is not merely a profit-making organisation but also a matter of national pride and the country’s flag carrier. He said the time had come to take tough decisions to save the airline.
