Aviation History
Nepal's air-transport era began in 1949 with the first flight into the Kathmandu valley, followed by the 1958 founding of Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (renamed Nepal Airlines Corporation in 2006) as the flag carrier. The country's extreme mountain terrain produced a distinctive network of short-takeoff airstrips, most famously Lukla's Tenzing–Hillary Airport, alongside a difficult aviation-safety record. Since 2013 all Nepal-registered carriers have been on the EU's list of banned air operators over safety-oversight concerns; the ban has been reviewed and extended repeatedly (still in force as of 2025) and its status should be checked for the latest determination.
The first aircraft landed at the Gauchar airfield near Kathmandu, opening Nepal to air travel.
The Kathmandu airfield was inaugurated as Tribhuvan Airport, later expanded and renamed Tribhuvan International Airport in 1964.
Nepal's flag carrier was established in July 1958, beginning operations with a single Douglas DC-3.
The airline acquired its first jet aircraft, Boeing 727s, starting Nepal's transition to jet-powered service.
A Concorde landed at Tribhuvan International Airport on 11 October 1987, a rare visit by the supersonic airliner.
Nepal opened its domestic aviation market to private carriers, enabling airlines such as Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines to emerge over the following years.
Amid Nepal's political shift away from the monarchy, the carrier dropped 'Royal' from its name to become Nepal Airlines Corporation.
The European Union added all Nepal-registered carriers to its list of banned air operators over safety-oversight concerns; the ban has since been reviewed and extended repeatedly and remains an evolving situation.
Nepal Airlines Corporation · Buddha Air · Yeti Airlines · Himalaya Airlines
Wikipedia, EU Air Safety List, Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, Nepali and international press (Kathmandu Post, Himalayan Times, The Diplomat)