Gandaki. Pokhara International Airport is going to operate direct flights to Bhutan. Bhutan Airlines is going to operate Paro-Pokhara-Paro charter flight. Universal Tours and Travel (UTT) has announced that it will operate four charter flights from September 28.

Utt operator Parashar Prasain said that the schedule of flights has been fixed on October 12, 16, 20 and 24. Bhutan Airlines has a capacity of 126 seats. Travels has also made a travel package along with charter flights. Prasain said that the package is four nights and five days.

“International flights from Pokhara are possible if continuous efforts are made. For this, the government should motivate the airlines. It is believed that with the introduction of Paro international flights from Pokhara, it will open the door for regular flights in the coming days.

Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said the direct flights from Pokhara to Bhutan and Bhutan to Pokhara would help promote tourism in both the countries. “We believe that it will contribute significantly in connecting Pokhara to the international market. Let us all take initiative from our place for its continuation,” he said. He also expressed confidence that the doors of regular flights would be opened after the upcoming visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to India.

Outgoing Chairman of Pokhara Tourism Council Pom Narayan Shrestha said that the announcement of Pokhara-Paro international chartered flight has encouraged them. Urging the governments of all three tiers to take continuous initiatives for regular flights, he said that the flights from Pokhara to Paro and other destinations would make the fare cheaper as per the government’s announced plan and the tourists coming here would be able to experience the natural beauty.

The government has also provided attractive discount facilities to foreign airlines flying to Pokhara and Bhairahawa. According to this, all the fees received from international flights from here have been waived. The ground handling service provided by Nepal Airlines Corporation does not have to pay any additional fee except 25 percent. The government has given discounts and concessions for international flights from these two airports since August 28, 2019.

The government has given the exemption as per the ‘Overall Improvement of Civil Aviation Sector and Action Plan related to operation of Gautam Buddha and Pokhara International Airport’. There is a discount on passenger service fee of Rs 3,000 per passenger on air tickets for international flights of these two airports.

There is a complete discount on parking, landing and navigation charges on international flights and 75 percent discount on ground handling fees offered by Nepal Airlines.

“With the continuation of international flights from Pokhara Airport, we have also prepared attractive discount packages in all tourism-related sectors including business hotels and restaurants here,” shrestha said. ’

Currently, Bhutan Airlines operates four flights a week from Bhutan to Tribhuvan International Airport and Kathmandu. Earlier, a narrow-body Airbus 319 aircraft of Sichuan Airlines made a charter flight to Pokhara from Chengdu Airport in China on June 28.

Himalayan Airlines is also operating flights from Pokhara to Chengdu. Recently, Sichuan is taking initiative to operate Pokhara-Sichuan-Australia flight. Sichuan Airlines has already sought permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to operate flights to Australia via Chengdu.

Earlier, Sichuan Airlines had operated charter flights to Pokhara Airport for some time. The company wants to operate regular flights to Australia as a new destination. The airline’s Airbus ‘A’ 319 started flying to Pokhara Airport for the first time on July 6, 2080.

A chartered flight was operated to bring and carry chinese delegates, players and spectators participating in the ‘Nepal-China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival 2023’ held at Phewa Lake on June 8 and 9. Currently, Himalaya Airlines operates regular flights to Lhasa.

Himalaya Airlines operates regular flights to Pokhara International Airport once a week. Himalaya Airlines is operating flights connecting Kathmandu-Lhasa-Pokhara-Lhasa-Kathmandu. Himalaya Airlines started its first commercial flight two years after Pokhara International Airport came into operation. It is believed that with the flights of Himalaya Airlines as well as Sichuan and Bhutan Airlines, pokhara international airport will be operational and it will be easier for passengers going to different destinations of the world. Pokhara International Airport, a project of national pride, was inaugurated on December 17, 2019.

Pokhara Airport, spread over an area of 3,900 ropanis, has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 22 billion. The airport has a runway measuring 2,500 metres long and 45 metres wide with a capacity to handle 800,000 passengers annually.