Himalayan Airlines to operate Lhasa- Pokhara flight

Kathmandu: Pokhara International Airport that has been lying idle since it was inaugurated two years ago may soon go into operation.

Himalayan Airlines is likely to start Lhasa Pokhara- Lhasa flight once in a week basis to begin with, and raise the frequency if it becomes economically viable, sources said.

Civil Aviation sources said Nepal and Chinese governments have also been exploring connectivity of Pokhara with other Chinese cities through direct flight in near future.

Initially, the A-319 Air bus with 144 passenger capacity will be pressed into service and a ‘ formal announcement will be made shortly, sources said.

The international Airport, Nepal’s third was inaugurated on January 1, 2023 but has not come into regular operation, mainly for absence of India’s consent to allow its air space for flights to and from Pokhara. The airport was built at a cost of 216 million dollar with loans from the Exim Bank of China as well as the Asian Development Bank.