Air Arabia to launch Nepal airline

Air Arabia, the Middle East's largest low-cost carrier, said on Sunday it would start a budget airline in Nepal with local carrier Yeti Airlines as part of expansion plans.

The airline, based in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, will make its first flight at the end of this month to Sharjah, one of seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates federation, and Air Arabia's home base.

The airline would later fly to destinations in India, Qatar and Malaysia, Air Arabia said. It did not say how much it would invest in the venture.

"As we set our sights on global expansion, we remain focused on youthful, fast-growing economies," Air Arabia Chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohhammad al-Thani said in the statement. (Reuters)