After remaining grounded for a year and a half with no regular flights taking off, Pokhara International Airport has received offers for direct flights from airlines in Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Two airlines, Air Astra and Drukair, have requested the government for permission to operate international flights at Pokhara International Airport, which currently lacks any international flight services.
Indu Ghimire, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that the proposal was submitted without formal procedures.
Ghimire, who is also the head of the Aviation Division, said, "GSA and company representatives in Nepal have sent a proposal. They are willing to operate flights to Pokhara International Airport. It is yet to be decided regarding facilities to be provided for the flight."
A year and a half after coming into operation, Pokhara International Airport remains grounded, with no regular flights taking off. The government is under fire for not being able to operate the airport built with the help of Chinese concessional loans.
If there are regular flights to Pokhara from Bangladesh and Bhutan, it is likely that offers may come from airlines of other countries as well. Officials of the aviation sector say that if the Pokhara International Airport comes into operation, the government can also have further discussions with India for entry routes and flight permits.
Bhutan and China have already conducted chartered flights to Pokhara. Although Bhutan and Bangladesh have proposed for regular flights, the government has not yet taken decision on it.
"Bangladeshi and Bhutanese airlines are interested in operating flights to Pokhara", Gyanendra Bhul, Information Officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, said, "Their proposal is under consideration by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Finance."
There are regular flights to Nepal from Bhutan and Bangladesh. Biman Bangladesh and Himalaya Airlines of Nepal have been flying regularly to Bangladesh. These flights are taking place via Tribhuvan International Airport.
Now, Air Astra, a private airlines company of Bangladesh, has offered flight services to Nepal’s Pokhara airport. The company has been flying to Bangladesh on ATR aircraft.
"Air Astra has proposed four flights a week to Dhaka-Pokhara-Dhaka," said Bhul, "Bangladesh has sent us a letter requesting for a flight permit."
The letter is at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, while the proposal for concessions including tax exemption has reached the Ministry of Finance.
The company expresses commitments to regular flights given the concession by the Nepal government for Dhaka-Pokhara-Dhaka flights.
Drukair flying to Kathmandu interested in operating flights to Pokhara
Currently, Two Bhutanese airlines are flying to Kathmandu. Drukair utilizes both ATR aircraft and Airbus 319 on their flights, while Bhutan Air flies to Kathmandu on Airbus 319.
While the Bhutan Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) proposed flights to Pokhara and Bhairahawa with the CAAN, Bhutan's national flag carrier Druk Air has offered to fly to Pokhara.
Last year, on September 9, 2023, a Druk Air plane had conducted a chartered flight to Pokhara. The company has been operating international and domestic flights from Paro International Airport.
It appears that the company that is flying regularly to Tribhuvan International Airport has to review the air service contract to fly to Pokhara. Nepal signed an air agreement with Bhutan two decades ago.
For regular flights, some issues should be reviewed in the air service agreement and provision should be made to fly outside of Kathmandu.
"A prompt review of the air service agreement is necessary,” said Bhul, "We can allow Drukair to fly to Pokhara on the basis of temporary approval."
Although Pokhara is a tourist destination, there are no international flights. Foreign tourists go to Pokhara only after landing in Kathmandu. This has prompted the airlines from Bangladesh and Bhutan to request tax breaks upon launching new flights directly to Pokhara.
“They have asked for tax exemption until they become commercially viable. The Ministry of Finance should decide whether to give tax exemptions or not,” said Bhul, “The proposal is under consideration. It has not been approved yet.”
.
