Nepal will have a bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Turkey, the cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided.

The government of Turkey has proposed for the air connectivity a few months ago. “The national airlines can have the air connectivity between Nepal and Turkey now,” Nagendra Ghimire, the secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), said. “But the air operation may take some time.”

Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines flies to India. The proposal does not mention time frame. “If the agreement is inked, the airlines will study market and route,” Ghimire said.

At present, Kathmandu is not directly connected to Europe.

Among seven European countries Nepal had signed ASA with, four countries - France, UK, Italy, Croatia – do not fly to Nepal. Nepal has signed ASA with 35 nations, 10 of which do not fly in.

The Ministry is studying the application for permission to fly in Nepal from Spirit of Manila Airlines and Oman Air.