Shree Airlines

Shree Airlines Pvt. Ltd. is a Nepalese aviation company headquartered in Kathmandu. Its operations span scheduled domestic passenger flights, helicopter charters, international charter missions, and air ambulance services. The company developed from a helicopter operator into a broader airline after expanding into fixed-wing aircraft in the mid-2010s. The business was originally incorporated as Air Ananya, a name associated with founder Banwari Lal Mittal’s granddaughter. It later operated under the Shree Air name and became one of Nepal’s significant helicopter operators, including operations with Mil Mi-17 helicopters. Helicopter activities have supported passenger charters, humanitarian logistics, religious tourism, emergency transportation, and international assignments. Shree Airlines diversified into fixed-wing aviation in 2016, acquiring three jets and preparing to launch scheduled domestic services from Tribhuvan International Airport. The expansion was part of an investment program reported at approximately NPR 2 billion. The scheduled airline operation was marketed under the Shree Airlines brand and gave the company a presence in Nepal’s domestic passenger market alongside established carriers. The airline’s helicopter work has included support for the World Food Programme and the Nepal Food Corporation. These missions transported food to remote areas of Nepal, with the company reporting delivery of more than eight million kilograms. Shree Airlines also conducted United Nations charter operations connected with peacekeeping activities in Uganda from 2008 to 2014. That contract ended after the International Civil Aviation Organization identified a significant safety concern affecting Nepalese airlines; several helicopters were subsequently left in Uganda because returning them was considered commercially impractical. Religious tourism is another element of the company’s charter business. Helicopter services to Hilsa in north-western Nepal support travelers heading toward the Mansarovar and Mount Kailash pilgrimage route. The airline also serves charter demand for Muktinath, an important pilgrimage destination in central Nepal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shree Airlines operated charter flights to Singapore, marking its entry into international passenger charter operations. By 2024, reference material described Shree Airlines as Nepal’s third-largest domestic carrier by passengers carried and second-largest by fleet size. Its domestic network has included destinations such as Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, Bhadrapur, Dhangadhi, and other airports served by Nepal’s scheduled carriers, although routes and fleet composition can change. The airline remains primarily focused on Nepalese domestic aviation, complemented by specialized helicopter and charter work. The company has also experienced operational incidents, including a fatal helicopter crash in 2006, aircraft ground incidents in 2018 and 2021, and a temporary fleet grounding in March 2023 after an in-flight engine fire involving a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. In addition, all Nepalese air carriers certified by the country’s aviation authorities, including Shree Airlines, have been subject to an operating ban in the European Union. These regulatory and safety-related developments form an important part of the airline’s public history.

Shree Airlines originated as Air Ananya, an airline incorporated in Nepal and associated with founder Banwari Lal Mittal. The original name was derived from the name of Mittal’s granddaughter, Ananya. The business later operated under the Shree Air identity and built its early capabilities around helicopter aviation rather than scheduled jet services. During its helicopter-focused period, the company became one of Nepal’s major helicopter operators and operated Mil Mi-17 aircraft. Its work extended beyond conventional commercial charters. Shree Airlines supported humanitarian logistics for the World Food Programme and the Nepal Food Corporation, carrying food to isolated and difficult-to-reach communities. The company has stated that these missions transported more than eight million kilograms of food. Helicopter operations also supported religious tourism, including flights to Hilsa in north-western Nepal, a gateway for the Mansarovar and Mount Kailash pilgrimage route, and charter flights to Muktinath. From 2008 to 2014, Shree Airlines operated long-term helicopter charter flights for the United Nations in Uganda in connection with peacekeeping activities. The arrangement ended after the International Civil Aviation Organization attached a significant safety concern label to Nepalese airlines. The termination created a logistical problem for the company: four Mi-17 helicopters remained in Uganda because the airline did not consider it viable to ferry them back to Nepal. Later reporting indicated that some aircraft remained in Africa while others underwent overhaul. A major strategic change occurred in 2016, when Shree Airlines acquired three fixed-wing jets and began preparing scheduled domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport. The move was part of an expansion program reported at approximately NPR 2 billion. It transformed the company from a primarily helicopter and charter operator into a mixed aviation business with a scheduled passenger division. The fixed-wing operation used the Shree Airlines brand and competed in Nepal’s domestic market. The airline’s public record includes several safety and operational events. On 23 September 2006, a Shree Airlines Mil Mi-8 crashed soon after departing Ghunsa in Taplejung on a charter flight to Kathmandu. All 24 people aboard died, including senior conservation personnel and Nepalese officials. In February 2018, a Shree Airlines CRJ200ER sustained wing-tip damage in a contact incident with a Yeti Airlines aircraft at Bhairahawa. In October 2021, a Dash 8 skidded off the taxiway area while preparing for a Nepalgunj service at Kathmandu; authorities reported no injuries or aircraft damage. In March 2023, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority temporarily grounded the airline’s entire fleet after an engine fire on a Dash 8 Q400 forced the aircraft to return to Kathmandu. The COVID-19 period produced another turning point as Shree Airlines operated charter flights to Singapore. These flights represented the company’s first international service activity, although the airline’s principal scheduled market remained Nepal. The company has also used sponsorships to build visibility, including support for the 2018 Dhangadhi Premier League, the Biratnagar Kings cricket team from 2019, and the 2019 SAFF Women’s Championship. By 2024, Shree Airlines was described as Nepal’s third-largest domestic airline by passenger volume and second-largest by fleet size. It continues to combine scheduled domestic flights with helicopter charters, air ambulance work, humanitarian logistics, pilgrimage transportation, and other charter missions. Its operations remain affected by Nepal’s broader regulatory environment: all carriers certified by Nepal’s aviation oversight authorities, including Shree Airlines, are listed under the European Union’s operating ban. Fleet details, routes, and market rankings may change over time.

• 2023

  Temporary fleet grounding

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Nepal’s aviation regulator temporarily grounded the fleet after an engine fire on a Dash 8 Q400.

• 2020

  International charter debut during the pandemic

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Shree Airlines operated charter flights to Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 2018

  Dhangadhi Premier League sponsorship

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The airline co-sponsored the Dhangadhi Premier League.

• 2016

  Entry into fixed-wing scheduled aviation

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Shree Airlines acquired three jets and expanded into scheduled domestic passenger services.

• 2014

  Uganda peacekeeping contract ends

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The United Nations-related charter arrangement ended after an ICAO safety concern designation affecting Nepalese airlines.

• 2008

  United Nations Uganda charter operations begin

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The company began long-term helicopter charter operations in Uganda supporting United Nations peacekeeping activities.

• 2006

  Ghunsa helicopter crash

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  A Shree Airlines Mil Mi-8 crashed near Ghunsa, killing all 24 people aboard.

• 1999

  Shree Airlines established

  [1]Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The airline was established in Nepal under the Shree Airlines business lineage, following its earlier incorporation as Air Ananya.

A Nepal-focused airline combining scheduled domestic passenger services with helicopter, charter, humanitarian, pilgrimage, and medical aviation capabilities.

• Passenger aviation · 2016

  Domestic scheduled passenger services

  Shree Airlines operates scheduled domestic flights within Nepal, linking Kathmandu with regional airports and supporting point-to-point travel across the country. Routes and frequencies vary according to fleet availability, regulatory approvals, and seasonal demand. The scheduled fixed-wing business was introduced after the company acquired jets in 2016.

• Charter aviation

  Helicopter charter services

  Helicopter chartering is a foundational part of Shree Airlines’ business. Services support remote-area access, tourism, pilgrimage travel, logistical transport, and other missions where Nepal’s mountainous terrain makes conventional road or fixed-wing transport difficult.

• Humanitarian aviation

  Humanitarian and logistics flights

  The company has operated helicopter missions for organizations including the World Food Programme and the Nepal Food Corporation. These flights delivered food to remote communities, with reported cumulative deliveries exceeding eight million kilograms.

• Religious tourism

  Pilgrimage aviation

  Shree Airlines provides helicopter charters connected with Nepalese and trans-Himalayan pilgrimage travel. Services include flights to Hilsa, a staging point for Mansarovar and Mount Kailash journeys, and charter transportation to Muktinath.

• Specialized aviation · 2020

  Air ambulance and international charter services

  The airline provides air ambulance and charter services, including international missions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it operated charter flights to Singapore, expanding the company’s operational experience beyond Nepal’s domestic market.

• 2019Biratnagar Kings sponsorship

  Nepal

  The airline began sponsoring the Biratnagar Kings cricket team.

  Outcome. The partnership is reported as continuing from 2019; detailed sponsorship terms are unavailable.

  Source
• 2019SAFF Women's Championship sponsorship

  South Asia

  Shree Airlines sponsored the 2019 South Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship.

  Outcome. The sponsorship supported a regional football event; specific campaign performance data is not available.

  Source
• 2018Dhangadhi Premier League sponsorship

  Nepal

  Shree Airlines co-sponsored the Dhangadhi Premier League, using cricket-related visibility to support domestic brand awareness.

  Outcome. The sponsorship is documented as a completed event partnership; broader commercial results are not publicly specified.

  Source

• 2023

  Temporary fleet grounding after Q400 engine fireOther

  Background

  A Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 experienced an engine fire during flight and returned to Kathmandu.

  Action taken

  The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal temporarily grounded the airline’s entire fleet for safety checks.

  Aftermath

  The grounding was temporary; the incident prompted regulatory inspection of the airline’s aircraft.

  Source

• 2020

  International charter operations to SingaporeOther

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic created demand for repatriation and special-purpose international charter flights.

  Action taken

  Shree Airlines operated charter flights to Singapore.

  Aftermath

  The flights marked the airline’s debut in international service operations, while its core scheduled network remained domestic.

  Source

• 2016

  Diversification from helicopters into scheduled fixed-wing flightsStrategy

  Background

  Shree Airlines had developed as a helicopter operator and sought a larger role in Nepal’s domestic passenger market.

  Action taken

  The company acquired three jets and launched scheduled domestic services under the Shree Airlines brand as part of a reported NPR 2 billion expansion program.

  Aftermath

  The move established Shree Airlines as a mixed helicopter and fixed-wing airline and contributed to its later position among Nepal’s larger domestic carriers.

  Source

1. 1Shree Airlinesen.wikipedia.org