December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.

Nepal's Himalaya Airlines, along with Jazeera Airways, which have started flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, have shown interest to  operate flights to and from Pokhara Regional International Airport. With the airport all set to operate from the English New Year, Buddha Air, a leading Nepali private sector air service company, has already prepared a schedule to fly its aircraft from the airport to various destinations in India. However, other companies have just started showing interest to operate flights.

Head of Pokhara Airport Office, Bikramraj Gautam, informed that Himalaya Airlines, Jazeera, Thai Smile and Qatar Airways have shown interests in operating international flights from this airport.

He says that since the international airport will be operational from January 1, companies are coming in for inquiries. Similarly, Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines each conducted a test flight on Thursday. Buddha Air is also preparing to operate night flights as well as international flights from the airport.

Yeti, which is preparing to operate domestic flights from the airport, also conducted a demo flight on Thursday. Yeti Airlines spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula said that the airlines has not yet made any preparations for international flights from this airport.

The construction of the airport – a national pride project – which started in 2010 was set to be completed in 4 years. However, the construction started only after the loan agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Government of China in February 2016. Although the target was to complete the works by the year 2020, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.