| |||||||
| Commenced operations | 1999 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 2008 | ||||||
| AOC # | 029/99 [1] | ||||||
| Operating bases | Tribhuvan International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 1 (at closure) | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kathmandu, Nepal | ||||||
| Employees | 250 (2001) [2] | ||||||
Shangri-La Air was an airline based in Nepal. It partly merged with Necon Air in 2001 and eventually ceased operations in 2008.[ citation needed ]
The airline started operations in October 1999 with oneDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft. [3] Its name is derived from Shangri-La, a fictitious place described in James Hilton's 1933 novel Lost Horizon.[ citation needed ].
In 2001 Shangri-La Air and Karnali Air were partly merged into Necon Air. Shangri-La Air was operating a fleet of six aircraft, two Beechcraft 1900Ds and four De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. Necon Air took over the Beechcraft, [2] and Shangri-La continued operating the DHC-6s.
In August 2002, [4] after the loss of one DHC-6, the airline operated only two aircraft. [5] In 2007 its fleet consisted of only one DHC-6, until its closure in 2008. [6]
Shangri-La Air regularly served the following destinations, some of which were discontinued before its closure: [3]
It also ran scheduled mountain sightseeing flights from Kathmandu to the Mount Everest range. They usually departed in the early morning hours and returned one hour later. [7]
At the time of closure, Shangri-La Air operated the following aircraft: [2]
| Aircraft | In fleet | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 1 | |
| Aircraft | In fleet | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft 1900D | 2 | |
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 3 | |
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