 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1996 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Tribhuvan International Airport | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Pokhara Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 2 | ||||||
| Destinations | 10 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kathmandu | ||||||
| Website | http://www.gorkhaairlines.com | ||||||
Gorkha Airlines Pvt. Ltd. was an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. It operated scheduled and charter flights to domestic destinations, as well as daily mountain flights in the Himalayas. Its main base was Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. [1] The company slogan was Fly With Us The Gallant Way.
The airline was established in 1996 and started operations on 8 July 1996. It began operations with two Mil Mi-17 helicopters and moved on to scheduled flights using fixed-wing aircraft. [2] In 1998, the airline took over two Dornier 228s, which the airline used exclusively after discontinuing helicopter operations in 2005. [3] The airline ceased to operate in 2008. [4]
In 2017, Gorkha Airlines received the approval from Civil Aviation Ministry to reoperate the Airline. It planned to operate two ERJ twin-engine regional jets produced by Embraer, and two Dornier aircraft on domestic routes. [5] However, by 2020, this did not happen.
Gorkha Airlines regularly served the following destinations, which were cancelled either at the closure of operations or before: [6]
Gorkha Airlines also operated scheduled mountain sightseeing flights from Kathmandu to Mount Everest range. The flights usually departed in the early morning hours and return to the airport one hour later. [6]
At the time of closure, Gorkha Airlines operated the following aircraft: [2]
| Aircraft | In fleet | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dornier 228-212 | 2 | |
| Aircraft | In service | Exit from service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mil Mi-17 | 1996 | 2005 | [7] |
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