Yeti Airlines Pvt. Ltd. is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The airline was established in May 1998 and received its air operator's certificate on 17 August 1998. Since 2019, Yeti Airlines is the first carbon neutral airline in Nepal and South Asia. It is the parent company of Tara Air. As of 2024, Yeti Airlines is the second-largest domestic carrier in Nepal by passengers carried and third largest by fleet size. Yeti Airlines is the current shirt sponsor of Kathmandu-based football club Himalayan Sherpa Club, who currently play in Nepal's highest football league, the Martyr's Memorial A-Division League.

History

Yeti Airlines was established by Ang Tshering Sherpa in May 1998 and received its Air Operators Certificate on 17 August 1998. It started operations with two de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. In 2009, Yeti Airlines established the subsidiary Tara Air to which it outsourced its STOL operations to airports in the rural and mountainous airports in Nepal and transferred its respective aircraft, DHC-6 Twin Otters and Dornier 228s to Tara Air. In late 2023, Asian Life Asian Life Insurance Co. Ltd. took over a 49% stake of Yeti Airlines Ltd and that the company would issue an IPO.

International operations

In 2007, Yeti Airlines launched Fly Yeti as a joint venture with Air Arabia. Due to political uncertainty, the airline ceased its operations in 2008. In 2013, the European Commission banned all Nepalese airlines from entering the European airspace. This restriction is still in place as of April 2024. In 2014, Yeti Airlines launched Himalaya Airlines, another international joint venture.

Yeti World

The parent company of Yeti Airlines, Yeti World, also encompasses other touristic ventures, including hotels and resorts and further airline companies, namely Air Dynasty and Altitude Air. In December 2019, Yeti World made headlines, as it was involved in a corruption case around Prime Minister K.P. Oli.

Destinations

Yeti Airlines offers scheduled flights to the following destinations (as of July 2023): Yeti Airlines also operates the one-hour-long Everest Express scheduled mountain sightseeing flights from Kathmandu to Mount Everest and Annapurna Express mountain sightseeing flights from Pokhara to Annapurna Massif.

Codeshare agreements

Yeti Airlines has a codeshare agreement with its subsidiary Tara Air.

Fleet

Current fleet

, Yeti Airlines operates the following aircraft:

Historical fleet

Yeti Airlines also formerly operated these types of aircraft:

Accidents and incidents