Thai AirAsia has resumed operations to Kathmandu and introduced new commercial flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa as of Sunday. The airline becomes the fourth carrier to operate from the country’s second international airport, joining Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, Nepal’s Himalaya Airlines, and Nepal Airlines. Jazeera Airways will restart flights to GBIA on November 9, after a 10-month hiatus, operating three times a week. Meanwhile, Fly Dubai will begin daily flights from Dubai to Bhairahawa starting November 10.
GBIA, which officially opened in 2022, is now expanding its international connectivity as part of the government’s ongoing effort to fully operationalize national pride projects, including the Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA). Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Spokesperson Hansraj Pandey confirmed that the number of international flights at GBIA is gradually increasing and that CAAN is working to maximize its capacity.
In an earlier development, Thai AirAsia faced a brief suspension for unauthorized flights to Kathmandu on October 27 but was cleared to resume operations under the condition that it also operate flights from Bhairahawa. Starting November 3, Thai AirAsia has been flying to both Kathmandu and Bhairahawa, with four weekly flights to Kathmandu and two to Bhairahawa.
The winter schedule for international flights, set by CAAN, runs from October 27, 2024, to March 31, 2025, with 30 airlines, including three from Nepal, operating international services.
