Kathmandu. The government has been announcing facilities for the airlines one after the other as regular international flights could not be operated from two international airports outside Kathmandu despite several attempts.
Foreign airlines are not interested in operating flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara International Airport in Bhairahawa. Although chinese airlines operate limited number of flights from Pokhara, flights from Bhairahawa have been suspended for the past few months.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has proposed to give ‘Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights’ to international airlines operating flights from Bhairahawa and Pokhara International Airports in the ‘National Aviation Policy-2082’. Once this policy is approved by the Cabinet, the Aviation Policy 2063 will be displaced.
Airlines operating at both the airports have been exempted from ground handling and fuel charges. Now the airlines are also preparing to give ‘Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights’.
The Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights included in the draft allows foreign airlines to carry passengers and goods directly through third countries and not the destination country.
The Ministry of Tourism believes that international airlines will be attracted as the number of passengers will increase due to this facility.
The government had in July last year announced concessions on air tickets, ground handling and aviation fuel to international airlines till August 2083. Despite this facility, foreign airlines have refused to fly due to the off-season.
In November last year, four foreign airlines operated regular flights to Bhairahawa for two months. Although there are half a dozen chartered flights in Pokhara, there are no regular flights.
