Cosmic Air has been unrelenting in its expansion, adding two new sectors to its route map this week: Banaras and Kolkata. It will begin flying to Kolkata from 8 July and to Banaras from 9 July. With the addition of the fourth Fokker 100 jet in May last year, Cosmic has continually increased its flight frequency, adding new sectors and pushing the competition further. Cosmic hopes to cash in on the inadequate seats on the two Indian sectors after Indian Airlines pulled out of Banaras and Royal Nepal discontinued Kolkata. It will fly three times a week to Kolkata on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and to Banaras on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. A special introductory fare of buy-one-get-one-free is offered on the two routes. Cosmic Air is also awaiting the approval from CAAN to operate two extra domestic routes?Bhadrapur and Pokhara? using its jets. Tests were conducted two months ago.

Meanwhile, another private airline, Air Nepal says it plans to bring its first leased 757 from Thailand later this month and commence flights to Dubai and Bangkok.