Kathmandu: In a major boost for Nepal’s international aviation sector, China’s Sichuan Airlines is preparing to launch flights from Pokhara International Airport to Australia via Chengdu.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Sichuan Airlines has begun the process of securing necessary approvals to operate the route. The airline, which has already carried out charter services from Pokhara, is expected to finalize bilateral procedures soon, after which its flight schedule will be announced.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways is also preparing to begin operations from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa. The airline, which currently flies between Kuwait and Kathmandu, has been under pressure from CAAN to expand to Bhairahawa. Authorities said incentives have been offered, and Jazeera plans to start flights within the next six weeks.
CAAN believes that once Sichuan Airlines and Jazeera Airways begin operations from Pokhara and Bhairahawa respectively, other international carriers are also likely to be attracted to these airports.
Jazeera has previously operated from Bhairahawa, first launching flights in 2022 but suspending them due to technical issues after just over two months. The airline resumed briefly in early 2023 but later halted services again. Its renewed interest is seen as a positive sign for the struggling airport.
Sichuan Airlines also has prior experience at Pokhara. On 21 June 2023, the airline became the first to operate an Airbus A319 at the newly built airport. The aircraft arrived from Chengdu at full capacity and later ferried Chinese tourists and participants for the Nepal–China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival at Phewa Lake.
Built with around Rs 22 billion in Chinese loans, Pokhara International Airport has yet to see regular international operations. Similarly, Bhairahawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport has also struggled to attract foreign airlines. Aviation experts see CAAN’s renewed push as an important step in reversing the narrative.
To encourage airlines, the government has provided generous incentives. International flights from Pokhara and Bhairahawa are exempt from all fees, except 25 percent of the ground handling charge collected by Nepal Airlines.
Parking, landing, and navigation fees are fully waived, while the Rs 3,000 per passenger service charge and Rs 1,000 tourism fee are also exempted. Additionally, fuel supplied by Nepal Oil Corporation at these airports is nearly US$ 200 cheaper per kilolitre compared to Kathmandu.
The incentives, introduced in August 2024 under the government’s “Civil Aviation Reform and Airport Operations Plan,” remain in effect, giving airlines a cost-effective alternative to Kathmandu’s congested Tribhuvan International Airport.
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