Royal Nepal Airlines has extended its lease agreement with China Southwest Airlines to lease a Boeing 757 for one more year. The extension was signed on 26 September, a day before the existing three-month agreement would have expired.

Royal Nepal faces a chronic shortage of aircraft on both domestic and international sectors and will be under added pressure this season because of its new twice a week Kathmandu-Banglaore flights starting 29 October, and an additional flight a week to Osaka. The bird hit on 26 September has grounded one of RANC\'s three 757s. The airline's plan to buy new ATRs for domestic operations remains on hold because of an ongoing inquiry on its purchase procedures by the parliament's Public Accounts Committee.

Meanwhile, beginning 1 October, smoking has been banned on all Royal Nepal flights, except in the Kathmandu-Osaka sector.