ATR Aircraft Dominate Buddha Air's Fleet

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ATR Aircraft Dominate Buddha Air's Fleet

May 26: Buddha Air, one of the leading domestic airline companies of Nepal, has added new ATR-72-500 aircraft to its fleet. The company added an ATR-72-500 aircraft to its fleet on May 22. With the introduction of the additional aircraft, Buddha now has ten aircraft of ATR-72 series. 

Even though the airline commenced its domestic flight operation with a 19-seater Beechcraft 1900D in 1997, today, its fleet is dominated by the ATR series aircraft. By May 2021, the company has 13 ATR and two Beechcraft. 

Buddha Air started procuring ATR aircraft in 2008. The company has three ATR-42-300 series aircraft and ten ATR-72 series. 

The company aims to expand its flights across the country with its bases in provincial airports. According to an official of Buddha Air, the company added the aircraft under its flight expansion plans, even though the flights currently have been suspended due to a restraining order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Buddha Air had announced a few weeks ago to conduct inter-city flights from provincial airports.

As the destinations are expanding, the airline added the aircraft to support the smooth operation of the scheduled flights, the official said.

He said that the newly introduced aircraft will reinforce Buddha's operation during the maintenance of the other airplanes. Buddha has been operating 125 to 130 flights a day and the number is estimated to increase to 135 with the addition of the new aircraft.

Lately, the company has been prioritizing ATR aircraft as operating an airplane with fewer seat capacity has more operational cost. The company said that emphasis has been laid on purchasing and operating ATR aircraft because its fuel consumption and operating costs are lower. 

Buddha Air had previously announced plans to operate flights from Pokhara to Bhairahawa and Chitwan, and from Biratnagar to Tumlingtar. The airline plans to operate flights to all the provinces from Pokhara. 



 

 

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