GANDAKI: More than three years after the inauguration of Pokhara International Airport, regular international flights from Pokhara have yet to materialize, with the airport largely limited to domestic operations and occasional charter services.
Built with an investment of nearly Rs22 billion in loans, the airport was officially inaugurated on January 1, 2023, amid expectations that it would transform tourism and regional connectivity in western Nepal.
Although Himalaya Airlines launched the first scheduled commercial flight on the Pokhara–Lhasa route in March 2025, the service was discontinued within a year due to low passenger numbers, according to Airport General Manager Jagannath Niraula.
“Himalaya Airlines suspended the Pokhara–Lhasa service citing low occupancy,” Niraula said. “Apart from occasional charter operations, there are currently no regular international flights from Pokhara.”
On Tuesday, Pokhara witnessed its first-ever charter flight to India. A medical charter operated by Shree Airlines transported an Indian national, Shambhu Dayal Srivastava of Bhopal, to India after he fell ill while returning from a pilgrimage to Muktinath.
The aircraft departed for Bhopal at 3:09 pm, coordinated with support from Indian federal minister and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and the patient’s family, airport officials said.
Niraula described the flight as a positive step that could help Nepal seek diplomatic approval for regular commercial flights between Pokhara and various Indian cities.
“If the Indian government grants permission, Nepali airlines could operate flights to several destinations in India,” he said. While charter flights from Pokhara to China and Bhutan had taken place in the past, this marked the first charter operation to India.
Despite repeated efforts by the government and stakeholders, regular international air connectivity from Pokhara has remained elusive.
Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Gokarna Karki said the federal government must take stronger diplomatic initiatives to make regular international flights possible.
“This issue has been consistently raised by the private sector, local governments and the provincial government,” Karki said. “Since it involves international relations and diplomatic coordination, the federal government must take the lead.”
According to him, direct air connectivity with India could significantly benefit tourism and trade in Pokhara and across Nepal.
Tourism entrepreneurs, who had expected a major influx of foreign visitors after the airport’s construction, have also expressed frustration over the lack of international operations.
Former president of the Pokhara Tourism Council Pomanarayan Shrestha said nearly Rs100 billion had been invested in Pokhara’s tourism sector following the airport’s construction.
“It is unfortunate that regular international flights have still not begun even three and a half years after the airport’s inauguration,” Shrestha said. “Pokhara cannot fully benefit as Nepal’s tourism capital unless the airport is fully connected internationally.”
He urged the government to initiate immediate diplomatic efforts to attract international airlines and create a favorable environment for regular flights.
Business owners and hoteliers who invested heavily anticipating international traffic are also facing uncertainty. Pokhara’s tourism sector is estimated to have attracted investments worth around Rs600 billion, with new star hotels continuing to emerge.
Stakeholders have demanded policy facilitation, regulatory support and flight permissions for Nepali carriers to operate routes connecting major cities in India and China. Some have also suggested that Nepal Airlines should begin regular international services from Pokhara.
Currently, domestic airlines continue to operate flights from Pokhara to Kathmandu, Bharatpur and Bhairahawa.
In its policy and program for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84, the government has pledged diplomatic initiatives to attract international airlines to Pokhara International Airport. The policy also emphasizes modernization of aviation infrastructure and expansion of reliable and competitive air services across the country.
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