POKHARA, Sep 8: The Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA) marked its eighth month of operations on September 1 since becoming officially operational on  January 1, 2023. Despite its international status, PRIA has been limited to domestic flights until now, with regular international flights yet to be confirmed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

In a significant development, Drukair of Bhutan is scheduled to initiate flights from Paro International Airport in Bhutan to Pokhara from tomorrow (Saturday), while PRIA is already in full operation with domestic flights. This marks the second international flight to land at PRIA, following the arrival of a Sichuan Airlines aircraft from Chengdu, China. Both Sichuan Airlines and Drukair have operated charter flights to and from PRIA.

PRIA has started generating revenue from international flights just eight months after Drukair's charter operations began. Jashoda Subedi, spokesperson for PRIA, emphasized the significance of this development, stating, "The Pokhara international airport is receiving an international flight for the first time, and we consider this a true commercial flight."

While Sichuan Airlines had previously operated flights, the return journey was often without passengers, resulting in limited income for the airport. To attract international carriers, PRIA has temporarily waived landing, parking, and related fees for international flights for one year. However, the airport expects to generate income from passenger airport taxes, with passengers paying a fee of Rs 3,000 per person for international flights.

According to airport sources, Drukair's aircraft is carrying 118 passengers from Pokhara to Paro, although the exact number of passengers arriving in Pokhara from Paro remains uncertain. Subedi explained that the airport's income is reliant on passenger taxes, stating, "After eight months of operation, the airport will earn Rs 350,000 for the first time from international flights. If there were no passengers, there would be no income. The tax paid by passengers is the income. The airport had to wait for eight months to receive income."

Subedi further revealed that the aircraft arriving from Paro to Pokhara would depart for Paro one hour later on the same day, utilizing a narrow-body aircraft, likely an Airbus 319 or 320.

The construction of PRIA incurred a cost of approximately Rs 22 billion. Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, during his recent visit to Pokhara, acknowledged the financial challenges faced by the airport, stating that its income has been insufficient to cover expenses. He expressed the government's commitment to finding ways to connect the airport to international destinations and improve its financial situation. "The financial situation of the airport is a matter of debate," said Finance Minister Mahat. "We are also trying to figure out where and how to connect the airport to the international air network."

 
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