Nepal’s Himalaya Airlines,Yeti Airlines forge partnership

Nepal’s Himalaya Airlines (H9, Kathmandu) and sister carrier Yeti Airlines (YT, Kathmandu) have forged a strategic business partnership to integrate their route networks, grow their sales, and gradually expand both airlines’ e-commerce capabilities. As part of the partnership, the airlines on January 27, 2021, signed an agreement to implement a direct link between the two carrier’s passenger services systems. This will allow them to share their inventories and ancillary products, enabling them to make their respective services available on each other’s websites, including selling tickets on each other’s digital platforms. The aim is to source different passenger segments for both airlines and enhance the accessibility of their products. The implementation process would take some time to complete, according to a statement by the airlines. Both airlines are subsidiaries of the Yeti Group, with Himalaya Airlines active in the international market, while Yeti Airlines operates domestic schedules. However, the carrier recently obtained an international charter license to operate short-haul regional flights using Avions de Transport Régional turboprops, whereas Himalaya Airlines uses A319-100s and A320-200s to serve medium-haul destinations such as Saudi Arabia, the Maldives, and Kuwait. Himalaya Airlines is also to start high altitude operations to Lhasa, China, in the summer of 2021. Himalaya Airlines operates a fleet of three A320-200s and one A319-100, all leased from ICBC Financial Leasing. Yeti Airlines owns four ATR72-500s and leases another from Nordic Aviation Capital. It also owns four BAe Jetstream 41s, as per the ch-aviation fleets advanced module. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Himalaya Airlines vice president, Vijay Shrestha, said the digital tie-up was the first step towards the strategic partnership between the airlines to explore new ways to expand their businesses. He hoped the partnership would maximise both carriers’ sales and revenue potential. “We look forward to engaging in more meaningful partnerships in the near future,” he added. Yeti Airlines Chief Executive Officer Anoj Rimal said the partnership would benefit passengers of both airlines.