Airline Review: Agni Air (Nepal)
We have been lucky to get to Nepal in our travels, but never had quite as exciting a flight as Brian and Noelle did flying domestically through the country. While we just had a boring flight from Delhi, theirs sounds much more fun. Take it away Brian!
“A number of domestic airlines fly the route between Kathmandu and Lukla in Nepal. The short thirty-five minute flight brings hikers to the starting point of the Everest Base Camp Trail. Choosing to fly with Agni Air, due to their slightly better safety record than some of the other airlines we booked our one-way ticket for $130, opting to walk the six days back to Jiri on the way out. Agni was a delight to fly with.
We were surprised at the level of service and professionalism for such a small airline and such a short flight. Short delays in the morning were announced to all passengers in due time and ground-staff were patient and helpful answering questions. Once it was safe to depart, we boarded the twelve-seater, propeller powered plane, unfolded our seats (!) and buckled up. To our surprise an air hostess came down the aisle serving mints and handing out cotton balls to passengers, it was laughable given the size of the aircraft. Views from the flights were incredible, especially once we broke through the clouds and could see the peaks of the Himalayas towering up around us.
Looking forward through the cockpit the pilots, in their old-school leather bomber jackets, kept passengers updated on our progress towards Lukla and pointed out the peaks in the distance. Landing in Lukla is no easy task, the skilled pilots touched down smoothly on the tiny runway which clings to the mountainside and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. From our experience, we would certainly recommend Agni Air to anyone flying from Kathmandu to Lukla. It’s an exhilarating flight to say the least and our most memorable to date.”
- Brian Barry, WanderingOn