November 3: Himalaya Airlines is making preparations to operate flights from the newly-built Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA).

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is ready to issue permits to the company for self ground handling at GBIA and commercial ground handling at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Accordingly, the company has announced to conduct regular chartered flights to Kuala Lumpur from the Bhairahawa-based GBIA. Himalaya Airlines said that the company is likely to conduct flights to Kuala Lumpur starting from today (November 3) provided that the aviation regulatory body of Malaysia issues permit for the flights.

Initially, the company plans to conduct two-way flights to Kuala Lumpur from GBIA and later intends to expand to service to other destinations after it acquires commercial ground handling permit at the airport.

The airport officially came into operation on May 16 this year.   At present, only Jazeera Airways is running three flights a week at the GBIA. This new airport is expected to ease the air traffic congestion at the TIA.