Cosmic Air is launching mountain sightseeing flights with its Fokker 100 jet aircraft from Sunday, the company announced after a test flight this week.

At present Buddha Air and Yeti have sightseeing flights in smaller turboprop aircraft. Although Cosmic's flights will fly at the same altitude, the faster planes will be able to take in all mountains between Makalu and Dhaulagiri as it flies past Sagarmatha (right). In the 1980s, Royal Nepal Airlines used to fly similar flights with Boeing 727s.

Cosmic will sell only 70 seats in the 100-seater jets to give passengers window seats and the 'companion seat' on the aisles will cost less than window seats, the airline said. The company hasn't decided fares yet, but other airlines charge $ 100. Cosmic introduced first-ever jet services in domestic routes last year.