December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. This is so far the first time in its operational history of 63 years that the state-owned Airlines company has been allowed to carry dangerous goods in international flights.

RSS confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation regulatory body of the country, has granted permission to Nepal Airlines Corporation to transport dangerous goods. Earlier, the national flag carrier had been transporting dangerous goods by obtaining license every three months. Now it has been provided with permanent license for such consignment.    
This is expected to ease the process of carrying drugs of various categories and electronic goods in the coming days. The NAC also expects this license to enhance the effectiveness of its aviation service.  

According to RSS, the NAC's wide-body aircraft A 330 with bearing capacity of around 14 tons cargo will be used for transporting dangerous goods.
CAAN's Director General Rajkumar Chhetri reportedly handed over the license to NAC Executive Director Yubaraj Adhikari amidst a programme attended by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale on Monday.    
On the occasion, RSS quoted Tourism Minister Ale as saying that it was an achievement for Nepal to get approval for importing and exporting dangerous goods.  He added that this will also end the hassles in the export and import and increase the income of NAC.