| Airline: | Shree Airlines श्री एयरलाइन्स |
| Fleet Size: | 11 |
| Destinations: | 6 |
| Aoc: | 030/2002[1] |
| Iata: | N9[2] |
| Icao: | SHA |
| Callsign: | SHREEAIR |
| Key People: | Sudhir Mittal (chairman) [3] |
| Hubs: | Tribhuvan International Airport |
| Headquarters: | Sinamangal, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Frequent Flyer: | High Flyer Club |
| Website: | www.shreeairlines.com |
Shree Airlines Pvt. Ltd. (Nepali: श्री एयरलाइन्स) is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal, operating domestic services within Nepal, including chartered helicopter flights. The airline also conducts charter and non-charter flights to remote parts of the country and offers cargo charter services.[4] As of 2024, Shree Airlines is the third largest domestic carrier in Nepal by passenger carried and third largest by fleet size, after Buddha Air.[5] [6]
The airline was founded by Banwari Lal Mittal and was incorporated in the 1990s and was originally called Air Ananya, named after the founder's granddaughter Ananya Mittal.[7]
Previously known as Shree Air, it is the largest operator of helicopters in Nepal with a fleet of Mi-17 helicopters. Nepal's then-largest helicopter operator Shree Airline diversified into fixed-wing operations by acquiring three jets in 2016 with plans to operate scheduled domestic flights out of Tribhuvan International Airport and investing NPRs 2 billion on its expansion project, these services are operated under the brand name Shree Airlines.[8] [7]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal, Shree Airlines carried out charter flights to Singapore, marking the airlines' international flight debut.[9]
Shree Airlines operated helicopter flights for the World Food Program and the Nepal Food Corporation. These flights delivered food to the hungry and needy in the hard-to-reach parts of Nepal. Shree Airlines has delivered over 8,000,000 kilograms of food to the Nepalese population.[10]
Shree Airlines also operated long-term charter flights for the United Nations, in support of peacekeeping operations in Uganda from 2008 to 2014. The UN canceled the contract after the ICAO attached the label "significant safety concern" to all Nepalese airlines. Four Mi-17 helicopters were left abandoned in Uganda after the cancelation of the mission, as the airline did not find it viable to bring the machines back to Nepal.[11] As of September 2016, two Helicopters are still in Africa, while two more helicopters are currently being overhauled.[7]
Shree Airlines operates helicopter flights to Hilsa in north-west Nepal, which is at the northern border, and is the start point for the Mansarovar and Mount Kailash pilgrimage. The airline operates charter flights to Muktinath, a popular pilgrimage destination in mid-Nepal.[12]
Shree Airlines operates scheduled domestic flights to the following destinations as of June, 2024.
| Destination | Airport | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bhairahawa | Gautam Buddha Airport | Daily 5 flight |
| Biratnagar | Biratnagar Airport | Daily 4 flight |
| Dhangadhi | Dhangadhi Airport | Daily 4 flight |
| Kathmandu | Tribhuvan International Airport | |
| Nepalgunj | Nepalgunj Airport | Daily 5 flight |
| Pokhara | ||
| Pokhara International Airport | Daily 3 flight | |
| Daily 2 flight | ||
The Shree Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft Model | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | |||||
| Bombardier CRJ200ER | 2 | - | - | 50 | 50 | [13] | |
| Bombardier CRJ700 | 2 | - | - | 70 | 70 | [14] | |
| Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 | 7 | - | - | 78 | 78 | [15] | |
| Total | 11 | - | |||||
| Helicoptor Model | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | |||||
| Mil Mi-17 | 6 | - | - | 24 | 24 | Four positioned in Uganda after serving in a UN mission. | |
| Eurocopter AS350 B3e | 2 | - | - | 5 | 5 | ||
| Total | 8 | - | |||||
Shree Airlines is an active sports and events sponsor, co-sponsoring the 2018 Dhangadhi Premier League[19] and since 2019 sponsoring the Biratnagar Kings[20] in cricket and the 2019 SAFF Women's Championship[21] in football.