Many remote airfields left without flights

There are 56 airports in the country. Of these, three are international, 10 are regional, and 43 are in the hilly districts. Likewise, Nijgadh International Airport in Bara, and the airports in Arghakhanchi, Achham and Kalikot, are at different stages of construction.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), air service has reached 46 out of 77 districts in the country so far. This data shows that the government is actively engaged in constructing airports. However, the state-owned aviation regulator and airport operator seems indifferent towards operating the constructed airports. Airfields in 12 districts have turned into grazing grounds due to a lack of flights. Small aircraft operate flights to some remote STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) airfields in the country. However, even this service is not reliable at present.

Nepal Airlines is providing services to some remote hilly districts. However, the state-owned carrier has only two Twin Otter aircraft for domestic flights. Currently, both planes are grounded due to technical issues.

Hansa Raj Pandey, the spokesperson and deputy director general of CAAN, said that air service was not being effective due to the lack of an integrated transport policy. “Air service falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. It should now be linked with transportation because foreign tourists are not the only ones who travel by air,” he added.

No flights after 14 years of operation

NAC operated flights to an airfield in Badachaur of Lungri-5, Rolpa regularly for 14 years. However,it stopped flights to the remote airfield in the 1990s. The Badachaur airfield has not seen any flight since that time. Despite this, the political leadership has shown little interest in resuming flights to the airfield.

“We have requested the federal government to resume flights to the airfield. They have been paying lip service only,” Bharat Kumar Thapa, chairperson of Lungri Rural Municipality, said. “We learned from the budget for the fiscal year 2024/25 that the Badachaur airfield will be upgraded. We are yet to receive further details.”

Thapa said that the number of tourists to Swargadwari in Pyuthan, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve in Baglung, and the Jaljala region of Rolpa could increase once flights to Badachaur become regular.

Irregular flights

Sher Bahadur Thapa from Tamghas, Gulmi, booked a flight to Resunga airfield from Kathmandu earlier this week. He was excited as the air service reduces travel time from an entire day to just 40 minutes. However, Thapa could not fly. Although the Twin Otter aircraft of Nepal Airlines took off from Kathmandu airport, it returned after 15 minutes citing a technical problem.

“We were told by the pilot that the flight was being turned back due to low visibility. Only after landing were we told that there was a technical problem,” Thapa said.

NAC has been operating scheduled flights to Resunga airfield since April last year. The airline initially operated two flights a week but soon increased the frequency to four flights a week.

However, the flight has now become uncertain as both Twin Otter aircraft of NAC remain grounded.

NAC Spokesperson Ramesh Poudel said both aircraft are likely to be airborne after repairs this week. “We lose Rs 600,000 per day if these aircraft serving 20 remote airfields are grounded,” Poudel added.

Private airlines also interested

Former Spokesperson of the Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN), Yograj Kandel, said private carriers have also been requesting the government to operate flights to remote airfields. “Tara Air is interested in operating flights to Resunga airfield in Gulmi. The airfare could be about Rs 300 higher compared to NAC,” he said. “Tara Air is positive about operating daily flights.”

NAC currently charges Rs 7,500 for Resunga flights.

Former Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati said many airfields are turning into grazing grounds for cattle due to a lack of flights. “Public service delivery has been affected due to frequent changes in government and political instability,” Kirati said. “People in remote areas have been deprived of air service due to a lack of aircraft in NAC’s fleet.”

Pandey from CAAN said there is not much demand for flights to some remote airfields due to the construction of roads.