Born 50 years ago as Royal Nepal Airlines, it was stripped of its ‘Royal’ like all other organizations in the country two years ago, but without being done anything to be a people’s airlines however. The airlines had been feeding and serving the Nepalese people for decades without any complaint at least until about a decade and a half. With the democratic system of government maturing in the country, its deteriorating health started getting revealed with the passage of time. But, have you ever heard of any good news about Nepal’s flag carrier at least in recent years? Successive governments have shed ‘crocodile’s tears’ on airline’s frail health and merely pay ‘lip service’ for doing best to improve its performance. Seriousness on part of the Nepal’s governments for grooming the airline is exposed when one looks at Thai Airways established in the same year.

We have heard and read numerous News about improving its corporate management through measures like privatization, expanding the fleet etc. etc. but with its domestic fleet almost reduced to a few Canada made twin-otters and giving name of the ‘most unreliable airline’ on the international service front with its two Boeings having perennial technical problems on this or that excuses. Almost every Nepali knows why it is happening. It is crystal clear that it is being made hollow by the termites (from within and outside the organization) as it is happening to other public corporations (example: Nepal Oil Corporation) in the country.

Reports and recommendations prepared in the past were followed by half-hearted efforts for curing the disease have been gathering dust. Media reports have been full of Trade Unions and political party cronies appointed at the senior management positions being incited to block any good move that would hurt the interest of a particular party or a leader.  As such, any good proposition that came across were either ignored or rumored as not favorable to the airline or the country. It is obvious that people in power, politics, and within the organization itself are responsible to push it to the brink of collapse.

Now a new idea of Public Private Partnership is being floated to improve the airline health. Every Nepali whether living within or outside the country has an opportunity to contribute to save this sick flag carrier by offering ideas as how best the airline could be made to carry Nepal’s flag to as many countries. Among options being put forward are to look for a strategic (international airline) partner to the government divesting its majority share to the public for reshaping its image.

It is high time for every Nepali to make contribution at least on the intellectual front to ‘hit when the iron is hot’ so as not to allow the initiative go ignored or bypassed amid the wave of other political priorities the corrupt political leaders and their cronies might have with no interest towards salvaging the airline, but scavenging it in its wholesome.