BHAIRAHAWA: Despite having an alternative international airport, Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa has struggled to handle diverted international flights due to technical issues and a shortage of skilled personnel.
On Saturday, flights at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) were disrupted for over 5.5 hours when its airfield lighting system failed. As a result, a Korean Air flight and a Fly Dubai flight were diverted to Delhi and Lucknow respectively. However, even when alternative airports like GBIA exist, most international carriers still prefer landing outside Nepal, citing operational and cost concerns.
GBIA, opened in 2022 primarily to cater to tourists, is yet to be fully operational. Experts point out that although the airport can handle emergency landings, it lacks proper management for passenger accommodation, crew handling, and aircraft inspection, which deters airlines from using it for diversions.
Another factor discouraging airlines is the price difference in aviation fuel between Nepal and India. Fuel costs in Nepal are $973 per 1,000 liters, while in India the same quantity costs $817, leading airlines to prefer Indian airports like Lucknow for diverted flights.
While the distance from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa is slightly shorter than to Lucknow, airlines still opt for Lucknow due to better infrastructure, available technical staff, and cost savings. GBIA currently lacks a full engineer team, though ground handling staff is available.
Despite these challenges, GBIA offers several incentives to attract international flights, including 100% discounts on landing, navigation, and passenger service fees, and up to 75% off ground handling charges. Fuel is also priced close to break-even, just $1 per kiloliter higher than Kathmandu.
Local authorities and industry stakeholders have criticized the lack of diplomatic and state-level support to make the airport fully operational. According to Thakur Kumar Shrestha, former president of Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, GBIA and Pokhara International Airport remain underutilized despite billions of rupees in investment, mainly serving domestic flights.
Since April 2025, GBIA has resumed limited operations with two weekly AirAsia flights and a few chartered flights. In the previous winter schedule, 12,787 passengers arrived and 11,111 departed via the airport.
Experts say that without sufficient foreign airline operators, travel agents, and trained personnel, Kathmandu will continue to remain the primary hub for international flights, leaving alternative airports like GBIA underutilized.
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