Himalaya Airlines

Himalaya Airlines is the international scheduled carrier of Nepal. The airline launched in 2014 as a joint venture between Yeti World Investment Group and Tibet Airlines. The first commercial flight departed Kathmandu for Doha on 31 May 2016.

Tibet Civil Aviation Development and Investment took over the Tibet Airlines stake during a 2019 restructuring.

Fleet and product

The fleet consists of four Airbus A320 aircraft. The carrier became the first Nepalese airline to offer Premium Economy, fitting eight seats at 26.9 inches wide with 43 inches of pitch.

The cabin product includes complimentary meals, USB power at every seat and overhead 10.4-inch entertainment screens. The inflight magazine Danfe covers Nepalese travel and culture.

Network

The airline currently serves eight international destinations across seven countries. Core routes link Kathmandu to Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Dhaka, Lhasa, Riyadh, Dammam and Kuwait City. The Doha service remains suspended after the March 2026 Gulf airspace closures.

Himalaya holds two notable monopolies. The carrier operates the only direct service between Nepal and Saudi Arabia. It also runs the sole scheduled link between Kathmandu and Lhasa, connecting the Nepali and Tibetan capitals.

Codeshare partners include Turkish Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Oman Air and flydubai.

Regulatory status

The airline remains on the European Union Air Safety List and cannot operate in EU airspace. The ban reflects Nepal's broader regulatory standing rather than carrier-specific findings.