After 26 months of operation of the airport, regular international flights have started from Pokhara. Himalaya Airlines has started Lhasa-Pokhara-Lhasa 'Schedule' flight service from Monday. Such a flight will be once a week.

Earlier, there were international 'charter' flights to China, India and Bhutan. Recently, China's Sichuan Airlines is operating Chengdu-Pokhara commercial charter flight. The Himalayan flight took off from Gongar Airport in Lhasa at 2:39 PM local time on Monday and landed in Pokhara at 1:56 Nepali time with 107 passengers after a flight time of one hour and 34 minutes. Among the passengers who came to Pokhara, 32 are Chinese and 75 are Nepali citizens. 

The passengers who arrived on the first flight were welcomed by Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendraraj Pandey, State Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Arun Kumar Chaudhary, Pokhara Metropolitan Chief Dhanraj Acharya, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chan Song and officials of Himalaya Airlines. The ship will stay in Pokhara on Monday and depart from Pokhara International Airport at 8:20 AM on Tuesday and land in Lhasa at 12:05 PM local time of China. According to this schedule, there will be flights every week. The airline currently operates one flight a week with plans to connect the Kathmandu-Lhasa-Pokhara-Lhasa-Kathmandu sector and to add more flights in the future based on demand. 

Chief Minister Surendraraj Pandey emphasized the role of 'connectivity' in the promotion of tourism in Gandaki province at the inauguration of the Lhasa-Pokhara-Lhasa flight service. Appreciating Himalaya Airlines for choosing Pokhara as a destination, he admitted that there is a challenge in continuing regular flights. "Though challenges remain, such challenges can be addressed with government support," he said, "The Gandaki government is committed to facilitating and expanding the operations of Himalaya Airlines in Pokhara." He said that airlines should pay attention to bringing tourists from other countries to Lhasa to Pokhara. 

Tourism State Minister Choudhary expressed confidence that airlines will expand the flight schedule to Pokhara in the coming days. Chan Song, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, expressed his happiness saying that earlier there were only international charter flights, but this time regular commercial flights have started. "The dream of the people of Pokhara to build an international airport in their city was fulfilled two years ago," he said, "Now the dream of the people of Pokhara to have regular international flights has been realized." 

Pokhara's airport is state-of-the-art and the Lhasa-Pokhara flight will also strengthen China-Nepal relations, he said. Pokhara Metropolitan Chief Acharya said that it will be easy for pilgrims to reach Mansarovar from Pokhara via Lhasa. He says that the Lhasa-Pokhara-Lhasa flight will prove to be a milestone in the tourism of Pokhara as it has been announced as the year 2025 and is also a tourist capital.

The Lhasa-Pokhara flight is a great success for Nepal's aviation industry, said Zhou Enyong, president of the airline. "It establishes Pokhara as a major international gateway and promotes regional air connectivity," he said.

Recalling that a Himalayan plane arrived at the opening of Pokhara International Airport, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation Authority, Devchandra Lal Karna said that it is a pleasure to have the first regular international flight by a Himalayan plane. Regular flights have started at the initiative of the authority. Now we have to work hard for its sustainability,' he said, 'If we have to return from this place, it will be unfortunate for us, the people of Pokhara and Himalaya Airlines.'