Pokhara International Airport will be equipped with the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) system in a week. Preparations for the operation of the IFR system at the newly opened international airport in Pokhara have been completed, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said. CAAN spokesperson Jagannath Niraula said that the implementation of IFR in Pokhara international airport will come into effect from coming February 23.

As a result, many airline companies have shown interest in carrying out regular international flights to and from Pokhara.

The Korean Air, Biz Air, Himalaya and the state-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation and others have shown interest to start their services to the airport. The IFR system is a fully mechanical operating system and compared to Visual Flight Rules (VFR) it is relatively safe and comfortable despite taking more time, the CAAN has said. The airport came into operation from January 1, 2023 with only domestic services currently being provided by Buddha, Yeti, Shree, Sourya, Guna and other domestic airlines.