Shree Airlines


Shree Airlines Pvt. Ltd. is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. It operates domestic services within Nepal, including chartered helicopter flights. The airline also provides charter flights and air ambulance services to international destinations. As of 2024, Shree Airlines is the third-largest domestic carrier in Nepal by passengers carried and the second-largest by fleet size. All air carriers certified by the authorities responsible for regulatory oversight of Nepal, including Shree Airlines, are banned from operating in the European Union.

History

The airline was founded by Banwari Lal Mittal in the 1990s and was originally incorporated as Air Ananya, named after the founder's granddaughter, Ananya Mittal.
Previously known as Shree Air, it became the largest operator of helicopters in Nepal with a fleet of Mi-17 helicopters. In 2016, the airline diversified into fixed-wing operations by acquiring three jets, with plans to operate scheduled domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport. As part of its NPR 2 billion expansion project, these services were launched under the brand name Shree Airlines
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal, Shree Airlines operated charter flights to Singapore, marking the airline's debut in international services.

Services

Humanitarian and UN peacekeeping flights

Shree Airlines has operated helicopter flights for the World Food Programme and the Nepal Food Corporation. These flights delivered food to remote and hard-to-reach areas of Nepal. The airline has delivered more than 8,000,000 kilograms of food to the Nepalese population.
It also operated long-term charter flights for the United Nations in support of peacekeeping operations in Uganda from 2008 to 2014. The contract was cancelled after the International Civil Aviation Organization attached a "significant safety concern" label to all Nepalese airlines. Following the cancellation, four Mi-17 helicopters were left in Uganda, as the airline did not find it viable to return them to Nepal. As of September 2016, two helicopters remain in Africa, while the other two are undergoing overhaul.

Religious tourism

Shree Airlines operates helicopter flights to Hilsa in north-west Nepal, located near the northern border, which serves as the starting point for the Mansarovar and Mount Kailash pilgrimage. The airline also provides charter flights to Muktinath, a popular pilgrimage destination in central Nepal.

Destinations

As of June 2024, Shree Airlines operates scheduled domestic flights to the following destinations:
DestinationAirportIATAICAONotes
KathmanduTribhuvan International AirportKTMVNKTHub
BhairahawaGautam Buddha International AirportBWAVNBW
BiratnagarBiratnagar AirportBIRVNVT
DhangadhiDhangadhi AirportDHIVNDH
NepalgunjNepalgunj AirportKEPVNNG
PokharaPokhara International AirportPHHVNPR
BirendranagarSurkhet AirportSKHVNSK
BharatpurBharatpur AirportBHRVNBP

Fleet

, Shree Airlines operates the following aircraft:

Accidents and incidents

Shree Airlines is an active sponsor of sports and events. It co-sponsored the 2018 Dhangadhi Premier League and has been sponsoring the Biratnagar Kings cricket team since 2019. The airline also sponsored the 2019 SAFF Women's Championship in football.