POKHARA, Sept. 23: Pokhara International Airport welcomed its first regular international commercial service on Wednesday as a Flydubai aircraft landed from Dubai, raising fresh hopes for the airport’s long-awaited international connectivity.
The Boeing 737 MAX, carrying 113 passengers, landed at 6:19 pm and was welcomed with a water-cannon salute, according to airport General Manager Jagannath Niraula.
Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhan Raj Acharya, government officials and representatives of tourism-related organisations were at the airport to welcome the passengers.
The aircraft was scheduled to depart for Dubai at 7:15 pm with 153 passengers, marking the start of Flydubai’s regular Dubai–Pokhara–Dubai service.
Flydubai conducting technical study for Pokhara–Dubai flight
The service is expected to make international travel easier for passengers from Pokhara and surrounding areas, particularly those travelling to Europe, the United States and other destinations via Dubai. Officials say the direct connection could also reduce travel time and costs.
For Pokhara’s tourism industry, the service offers another potential boost. Foreign tourists will be able to fly directly to the tourism capital instead of travelling through Kathmandu before reaching the city and other destinations in the region.
The service is also expected to benefit passengers travelling to Gulf countries and elsewhere for employment, education and tourism.
Pokhara International Airport began operations in January 2023 but has struggled to secure regular international flights. Several airlines have previously operated international flights from the airport, but their services did not continue on a regular basis.
Niraula said the launch of Flydubai’s service has renewed hopes for sustained international connectivity from Pokhara.
The government has also introduced incentives to attract international airlines to the airport. Parking, landing and navigation fees have been waived until mid-September 2028, while ground-handling charges have been discounted by 50 percent.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal granted Flydubai permission to operate the Dubai–Pokhara–Dubai service on June 8.
Under the schedule, Flydubai will land in Pokhara daily at 6:15 pm and depart for Dubai at 7:15 pm.
The service connects Pokhara directly with Dubai, a major global aviation transit hub. Flydubai operates flights to more than 120 destinations worldwide.
The Dubai–Pokhara–Dubai service will operate under a strategic codeshare partnership between Flydubai and Emirates. This will allow passengers travelling from Pokhara to destinations in Australia, Europe and the United States to book their journeys on a single ticket and connect to their final destinations through Dubai.
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