June 14: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the flag carrier of Nepal, has launched commercial flight to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) almost a year after the airport came into operation.

NAC’s 158-seater aircraft landed at the airport at 9:45 am on Tuesday carrying 90 passengers from Malaysia.    
Joint-Spokesperson for the Nepal Airlines Corporation, Ganesh Kumar Ghimire, said the aircraft took off for Kathmandu after dropping off 31 passengers at the airport.    
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, and Minister of State for Tourism, Sushila Sirpali, were there to welcome the passengers in Bhairahawa as it was the first commercial flight of NAC to the airport.    
Inaugurating the NAC’s commercial flight at the airport, Minister Kirati said it was challenging to give continuity to commercial flights in Bhairahawa.    
He said efforts from the both the government and the private sector were necessary for the continuation of the service.    
Minister Kirati asked authorities concerned to lay emphasis on publicity for effective operation and marketing of Nepal Airlines in the coming days. He mentioned that efforts were underway to operate flights to other destinations including New Delhi from GBIA.    
The Tourism Minister further said it was necessary to buy new aircraft to operate the NAC in a fully commercial manner and to provide air service to people of remote areas. He added that the government was in a process to purchase aircraft in a transparent manner.    
Similarly, Minister of State Sirpali said the government has given top priority to the need of regular operation of airport as it was constructed with the aim of promoting the identity and heritage of Lumbini Province globally.    
Stating that questions were raised from many quarters about irregular operation of flights, she said that the main reason behind irregular flights was political instability.    
Likewise, former Minister and federal lawmaker from Rupandehi-3, Deepak Bohora advised the government to make a policy that every companies operating international flights from Tribhuvan International Airport has to operate one flight each at Bhairahawa.    
The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had inaugurated the airport on May 16, 2022. -- RSS