India and Nepal sign MoU for revised ASA

India and Nepal signed (10-Sep-09) an MoU to revise their bilateral air services agreement signed in Jun-1997. Details include:

• Total capacity increased from 6,000 to 30,000 seats per week with any aircraft type;
• Designated airlines of Nepal are entitled to operate up to 10,000 seats per week to/from Mumbai and Bangalore, and up to 15,000 seats per to/from Delhi. These limitations cease from 01-Jan-2011;
• Designated airlines of each nation may exercise unlimited intermediate or beyond fifth freedom traffic rights to/from any points within the SAARC Region on not more than seven flights per week in each direction to/from each point;
• Designated airlines entitled to operate any number of cargo services between with any type of aircraft with full 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights. Cargo services may also be operated under cooperative marketing arrangements, including codesharing;
• New destinations for Nepal include Dehradun, Gorakhpur and Bagdogra, and for India include Pokhara, Lumbini, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Jankpur, Dhangadi and Bhairava;
• Other: Indian Government is seeking to expedite permission for the deployment of sky marshals on flights between India and Nepal. [more]