Five airlines show interest in operating commercial flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport

KATHMANDU, March 15: Five airline companies have shown interest in operating regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport.

Preparations are underway for the operation of commercial international flights regularly from May 16 after Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Prem Bahadur Ale directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to make arrangements for the operation of international flights at the airport as soon as  possible.

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According to CAAN, Jazeera Airways of Kuwait, Sri Lankan Airlines of Sri Lanka, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Qatar Airways and Thai Smile Airlines Company of Thailand have shown interest in operating commercial flights to and from the airport. 

Director General of CAAN, Pradeep Kumar Adhikari, said, "Some airline companies have shown interest in providing services at Gautam Buddha International Airport. We have been preparing to grant permission to the airlines after studying the matter." 

CAAN has already issued an 'Aeronautical Publication Information' a few days ago for the operation of commercial flights to and from the airport.

Similarly, chief of Gautam Buddha International Airport, Govinda Prasad Dahal said that problems have surfaced in some activities due to lack of human resources. Of the total 151 quotas of staff, the airport has only 36 at present. 

The government has been making preparations to bring the Gautam Buddha International Airport into operation from May 16 (on the occasion of Buddha Purnima).