Kathmandu: Nepal Airlines has decided to lease two Trent772B-powered A330-200s from U.S. lessor and MRO specialist, AAR Aircraft Sales & Leasing.

The A330s will replace the carrier’s two ageing B757-200s. Nepal Airlines said it needed the wide-bodies for new routes to Tokyo and Seoul. It also said Sydney, Shanghai and Beijing were under consideration.

Nepal Airlines MD, Sugat Ratna Kansakar, told the Kathmandu Post that “We have asked the supplier to come to Nepal as soon as possible to sign an initial memorandum of understanding (MoU),”

AAR's proposed, according to the report - $104.8 million for each jet - was the lowest of ten offers received. Miami-headquartered AAR also indicated it could supply the first aircraft by mid-April instead of the September deadline stipulated in the original RFP. A second jet is due by April 2018.

The airline flies to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur Bangkok, Doha, Dubai, Delhi and Mumbai. Once the B757s are phased out, Nepal Airlines will have an all-A320/A330 fleet.