Nepal Airlines to Launch First Direct Kathmandu-Guangzhou Flights Sept. 25
Nepal’s national carrier will launch its first-ever direct flights between Kathmandu and Guangzhou, China, later this week, expanding connectivity between the Himalayan nation and one of China’s largest commercial hubs. Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) announced Sunday that the Kathmandu-Guangzhou-Kathmandu service will begin Thursday, Sept. 25. The airline will operate three flights a week on the route — every Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday — following the inaugural flight. “All necessary preparations have been completed, and we are ready to commence the Kathmandu-Guangzhou flights,” Manoj Kumar Shah, spokesperson for NAC, said in a statement. The initial two flights are scheduled for Sept. 25 and Sept. 28 before the regular thrice-weekly service begins. The state-run carrier has set one-way fares from Kathmandu to Guangzhou at 30,000 Nepalese rupees (about $225) and round-trip tickets at 50,000 rupees (about $375). The new route places NAC in direct competition with Himalaya Airlines, a private Nepali carrier that already operates regular flights between Kathmandu and Guangzhou, and China Southern Airlines, which connects Guangzhou and Kathmandu. Aviation analysts say the addition of NAC flights will provide passengers more options and may help reduce airfare on the busy China-Nepal route, which has grown in demand due to trade, tourism and educational exchanges. With Guangzhou added to its network, Nepal Airlines now operates regular flights to 11 destinations across nine countries, including India, Malaysia, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The flag carrier has long sought to expand its international footprint, but competition from private airlines and operational challenges have limited its growth. The Kathmandu-Guangzhou service is being launched at a time when Nepal is working to attract more Chinese tourists and strengthen economic ties with Beijing. China is Nepal’s second-largest source of foreign visitors after India. NAC officials said they are optimistic the route will help boost tourism, especially ahead of the upcoming holiday season, and improve Nepal’s access to southern China’s thriving commercial and industrial region. “This is a milestone for Nepal Airlines and for the country’s aviation sector,” Shah said. “We believe the service will benefit travelers, traders and the tourism industry alike.”
Kolkata emerges as fertility hub as IVF demand grows across borders
Kolkata is fast emerging as a leading destination for fertility treatments in South Asia, attracting patients not only from across India but also from neighbouring countries and even Western nations. According to Dr Swati Mishra, Centre Head and Senior Consultant at Birla Fertility & IVF Kolkata, patients from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the United States and the United Kingdom are regularly travelling to the city to seek advanced reproductive care. Dr Mishra said lifestyle-related conditions now play a significant role in fertility challenges. “Issues such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, premature ovarian failure, azoospermia and reduced sperm health account for nearly a third of cases we see. These reflect broader urban health patterns linked to stress, irregular sleep, sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits,” she explained. She also pointed to a noticeable rise in younger women opting for egg freezing, a sign of growing awareness around fertility preservation. “This reflects the confidence women now have in planning their reproductive choices at the right time,” Dr Mishra added. Birla Fertility & IVF, part of the CK Birla Group, has marked four years of operations in Kolkata, having grown from its first centre in 2021 to three facilities across the city, including a recently launched clinic in New Town. “This expansion demonstrates both the rising demand for advanced fertility solutions and the trust patients place in us,” Dr Mishra said. The company’s CEO, Abhishek Aggarwal, said the Kolkata centres serve not just the city but the wider eastern region and beyond. “Completing four years in Kolkata is a reflection of the trust this city has placed in us. Our centres here cater to patients from Kolkata, Eastern India and Bangladesh. As we expand towards building 100 clinics nationwide, our priority will remain affordable, accessible and clinically reliable fertility care,” Aggarwal said. Specialists highlight that Kolkata offers a full spectrum of fertility treatments. Birla Fertility & IVF provides in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), frozen embryo transfer (FET), blastocyst culture, as well as male and female infertility treatments. The centres also cater to advanced needs such as cancer fertility preservation, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). For many patients, Kolkata offers an affordable alternative to treatment in other parts of Asia or the West, without compromising on technology or expertise. Doctors say the city’s growing reputation as a hub for fertility solutions reflects both changing social realities and medical progress in Eastern India.
