Direct flights between Pokhara International Airport and Bhutan are now set to commence. Bhutan Airlines will operate Paro–Pokhara–Paro charter flights. Universal Tours and Travel (UTT) announced that it will operate four charter flights starting from Ashoj 12 (September 28).
According to UTT director Parasar Prasai, flights have been scheduled for Ashoj 12, 16, 20, and 24 (September 28, October 2, 6, and 10). Bhutan Airlines operates a 126-seat aircraft. Along with the charter flights, the travel company has also introduced a four-night, five-day package tour.
“If continuous efforts are made, international flights from Pokhara are possible. The government should encourage airlines for this,” said Prasai. With the launch of the Paro–Pokhara international flight, hopes have risen that it could pave the way for regular flights in the future.
Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya stated that direct flights between Bhutan and Pokhara will help promote tourism in both countries. “We believe this will significantly contribute to connecting Pokhara with the international market. Everyone must take initiatives from their respective sides to ensure continuity,” he said, expressing optimism that regular flights will start after Prime Minister KP Oli’s upcoming visit to India.
Former president of the Pokhara Tourism Council, Pomanarayan Shrestha, welcomed the announcement of Pokhara–Paro charter flights, calling it an encouraging development. He urged all three levels of government to work towards establishing regular flights. According to him, more flights from Pokhara to Paro and other destinations would help reduce airfares in line with government plans while allowing tourists to fully experience Pokhara’s natural beauty.
The government has also provided attractive concessions for international airlines operating flights from Pokhara and Bhairahawa. All fees related to international flights from these two airports have been waived, except for 25% of the ground handling service fees charged by Nepal Airlines Corporation. These facilities have been in effect since Shrawan 28, 2081 (August 12, 2024), under the “Civil Aviation Reform and Operation Plan for Gautam Buddha and Pokhara International Airports.”
The scheme offers exemptions on the NPR 3,000 per-passenger service fee for international flights, as well as full waivers on parking, landing, and navigation charges, plus a 75% discount on ground handling fees by Nepal Airlines.
“Along with international flights from Pokhara, businesses including hotels and restaurants have already prepared attractive discount packages,” said Shrestha. “Our continuous effort is to establish direct international connections from Pokhara to various destinations worldwide.”
Currently, Bhutan Airlines operates four weekly flights to Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu). Earlier, on Ashar 7, Sichuan Airlines flew a narrow-body Airbus 319 to Pokhara on a charter basis from Chengdu, China. Himalayan Airlines has also been flying from Pokhara to Chengdu, while Sichuan Airlines is seeking approval from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority to operate flights from Pokhara to Australia via Chengdu.
Himalayan Airlines presently operates weekly regular flights connecting Kathmandu–Lhasa–Pokhara–Lhasa–Kathmandu. Two years after Pokhara International Airport came into operation, Himalayan Airlines became the first to start commercial flights from there.
With Himalayan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Bhutan Airlines expanding their operations, Pokhara International Airport is expected to become more vibrant and convenient for passengers traveling to various global destinations.
Pokhara International Airport, inaugurated on January 1, 2023 (Poush 17, 2079), is a national pride project. Built at a cost of nearly NPR 22 billion, it spans 3,900 ropani (about 494 hectares) of land, with a 2,500-meter-long and 45-meter-wide runway. The airport has the capacity to handle 800,000 passengers annually.
