LUMBINI, June 13: The national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), has launched commercial flights targeting Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA), Bhairahawa, 13 months after the airport came into operation.

NAC’s 158-seater landed at the airport at 9:45 AM today carrying 90 passengers from Malaysia. 

Joint-Spokesperson for the NAC, 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 at the airport.

Inaugurating the NAC commercial flight at the airport, Minister Kirati said it was challenging to give continuity to commercial flights at the GBIA.

He said efforts from both the government and the private sector were necessary for the continuation of the service.

Minister Kirati asked the authorities concerned to lay emphasis on publicity for stability, effective operation and market of NAC in the coming days. He mentioned that efforts were underway to operate flights to other destinations including New Delhi from the 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 the people of remote areas, stating that the government was in the process to purchase aircraft in a transparent manner.

Similarly, Minister of State Sirpali said the government attached top priority to the need of regular commercial operation of the airport as it was constructed with the aim of promoting identity and heritages of Lumbini Province globally.

Stating that questions were raised from many quarters for irregular operation of flight, she mentioned that political instability was the main reason behind it. 

Likewise, former minister and federal lawmaker from Rupandehi-3, Deepak Bohora, said the operation of NAC’s commercial flights at the airport had raised hopes for the effective presence of the airport.

He also advised the government to make a policy that every company operating international flights from the Tribhuvan International Airport has to operate one flight each to Bhairahawa.

Secretary at the ministry, Suresh Adhikari, shared that launching the commercial flight at the GBIA from Malaysia was a significant achievement.

He further said a branch office of Nepal Tourism Board would be established in Bhairahawa next year as per the demand of tourism entrepreneurs of Bhairahawa.

Similarly, executive chairperson of NAC, Yubraj Adhikari, said that regular flights could be operated in a commercial manner after NAC gets additional aircraft, pointing out the need for making the flights at Bhairahawa regular in order to connect Buddhist countries.

The then prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had inaugurated the airport on May 16, 2022.

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