State-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) will receive first of its two Airbus passenger aircraft on coming February 7.

The aircraft will be used to fly to major destinations in different countries that Nepal has signed aviation agreements with, according to Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mohan Krishna Sapkota.

Nepal has signed aviation agreement with 36 different countries so far.

NAC has already developed a business plan to use the new aircraft to fly to various destinations including New Delhi, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong among others reports RSS.

Regular domestic and international flights will be resumed in order to restore the past glory of the national flag carrier, Sapkota said.

The problem seen in the aircraft recently acquired from China will also be resolved soon, he added.

The government has recently provided permit to the Regent Air of Bangladesh and Malinda Air of Malaysia to run direct service from Dhaka and Kuala Lampur respectively to Kathmandu. Sichuan Airlines of China will soon be receiving permit to help bring more Chinese tourists to Nepal, added Sapkota.

Another company in the pipeline to fly to Kathmandu is Sri Lankan Air, which is expected to boost the arrival of Sri Lankan Buddhists to Nepal.

There is currently no direct air service available between Colombo and Kathmandu