Qatar Airways from Doha, Air Asia from Bangkok, Fly Dubai from Dubai, Jazeera from Kuwait and Nepal Airlines have now started flights from Bhairahawa. Bhairahawa Regional International Airport, which was once going to be irrelevant, has become Gulzar, local businessmen are also excited.

Businessmen of Bhairahawa are interested in the long-term service of the airlines that have moved to Bhairahawa due to the reduction of flights due to the expansion of Kathmandu's international airport. Likewise, labor and businessmen are forced to go to Kathmandu because services such as labor approval, medical examination, visa, cargo, quarantine are not available in Bhairahawa. 

The parking lot of Gautam Buddha International Airport is crowded with small and big vehicles. The airport has become busy with the flow of relatives and security personnel who have come to welcome and say goodbye to passengers. Fly Dubai and Qatar Airways flights arrive at noon each day. Air Asia, Jazeera and Nepal Airlines also fly. People also gather on the Bhairahawa-Lumbini road to watch the landing/takeoff of big ships. 

The private sector is excited in the belief that economic activity will increase in and around Ruppandehi as regular flights are being operated from Bhairahawa Airport. Many industrialists and businessmen have invested in hotels and restaurants in the belief that tourists will increase with the construction of the airport. After the opening of the airport, many businessmen were disappointed due to lack of regular international flights. Many hotels were left unfinished. As five airliners started arriving at the same time, investors are again excited. They have continued the construction of the unfinished hotel. 

The airport was put into operation on May 2, 2079 on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti. Kuwait's Jazeera Airways started international flights with the opening of the airport.

In 2022, the first year of international flights, 31 thousand 355 passengers departed from Bhairahawa. In 2023, 4 thousand 751 people flew from here. In May 2024, about 1,000 passengers took the service from here. Jazeera Airways, which had been flying from Bhairahawa for 10 months, suspended the service citing technical reasons. But now it is flying three days a week again. Similarly, Nepal Airlines is flying Kathmandu-Bhairawa-Dubai four days a week. 

Thailand's Thai Air Asia made its first flight to Bhairahawa on November 3 (November 19). That day, the Thai AirAsia flight returned without passengers. According to the general manager of the airport, Pratap Babu Tiwari, after that the Thai AirAsia plane should not be without passengers. So far, Thai AirAsia aircraft have landed here 4 times. The second time it took off from here, it returned with 32 passengers. The third time returned with 79 and the fourth time with 94 passengers. "234 passengers have traveled through Thai Air Asia so far," Tiwari said, "After the promotion of the flight, passengers have started coming."

According to Tiwari, the aircraft of Jazeera Airways has taken off/landed 12 times so far. 1 thousand 833 passengers have traveled through Jazeera. 'Jazeera's plane is usually full,' he said, 'because of the long preparation and publicity, Jazeera is getting passengers.'' The schedule is. 

Thai AirAsia and Jazeera fly direct from their country to Bhairahawa. Other airlines have made Bhairahawa a 'transit'. Tiwari said that arrangements have been made for 'transit' flights from here to attract airlines. "The right to fly was established by making transit here," he said. Fly Dubai operates daily flights between Dubai-Bhairawa-Kathmandu-Dubai. Fly Dubai flies/landed 26 times. In this process, 460 passengers have traveled back and forth from Bhairahawa. Passengers going to Kathmandu via Bhairahawa were 1 thousand 461. 

Qatar Airways aircraft have flown/landed here 20 times. During this period, 33 passengers have traveled back and forth from Bhairahawa. The number of passengers traveling to Kathmandu via Bhairahawa from Qatar Airways is 643. "It is a pleasure to have Qatar Airways' widebody aircraft land at Bhairahawa," said Tiwari. Qatar Airways is also flying daily from here. 

Nepal Airlines has flown/landed from here 12 times. A total of 8 passengers have come to Bhairahawa during this period. The number of passengers going to Kathmandu via Bhairahawa is 921. Nepal Airlines is flying Kathmandu-Bhairawa-Dubai on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The flight of Nepal Airlines lands at Bhairahawa at 10:20 pm from Kathmandu and flies to Dubai half an hour later. 

With the onset of winter, there is a problem in the flight/landing of ships here. Domestic and international flights are affected due to heavy rain and fog. Kuwait's Jazeera Airways, which started flying from here with the opening of the airport, also suspended its service in winter citing technical reasons. 

An 'Instrumental Landing System (ILS)' device has been installed at the international airport to solve the 'visibility' problem. It has not been used after India objected to the use of 'ILS' stating that it would have security implications. In such a situation, the Airport Authority has proposed a Satellite Based Landing System (RNP-AR) to allow the aircraft to take off/land in low 'visibility'. General Manager Tiwari informed that a decision will be taken on this by next December. According to him, ships equipped with the RNP system do not need ground equipment for landing. "A special landing method is necessary for RNP-AR," said Tiwari, "Pilots must undergo training, permission from the regulatory body is required, and test flights must be conducted." 

According to Tiwari, 800 meters of 'visibility' is required for flight/landing in 'ILS' technology. Aircraft equipped with 'RNP-AR' technology can land in 700/800 meters 'visibility'. "That's why RNP-AR technology is proposed as an alternative," said Tiwari. 

Five airlines have been flying regular international flights from Gautam Budh Airport in Bhairahawa for a few weeks now. But those going abroad for travel and employment are not able to easily board a plane from Bhairahawa. There is an obligation to go to the federal capital Kathmandu to complete the necessary process. 

Offices such as health examination, manpower, visa center have not been established in Bhairahawa yet. Investors, tourism professionals and travel companies here have been demanding for the establishment of an office to complete the basic procedures required by Bidesin for two and a half years. All offices needed for the process of going abroad should have been established. It is not a matter of demanding the establishment of such offices where there is an international airport, but we have been demanding so far," said Gyanendra Karki, president of the Tilottma Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rupandehi. 

The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated the airport two and a half years ago. Immediately after the inauguration, an office was established in Bhairahawa to facilitate labor approval. Thakur Kumar Shrestha, president of Siddhartha Udyog Commerce Association, says that the office is only in name. Karki, president of the Tilottma Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says that there will be a shortage of passengers on international flights from Bhairahawa until the necessary offices for people going for foreign employment are established. "There is doubt that the Gautam Buddha International Airport will operate sustainably in the current situation," he said. 

According to Shrestha, President of Siddhartha Industry and Commerce Association, the private sector, excited by the construction of the international airport, has already invested more than one billion rupees to prepare tourism infrastructure in and around Rupandehi. "We were excited when the airport was inaugurated," said Shrestha, "but that excitement did not last for long." The airline, which started international flights, postponed the flight citing technical reasons. According to him, the labor, health examination, orientation and visa center branches were not opened here, so passengers could not be attracted. He said that he had to go to Kathmandu as he had to get a work permit for the first time. Renewal of work permit is done online. "Students who want to fly from here have to go to Kathmandu for NOC (No Objection Certificate)," he said.

After a long postponement, international flights are being operated from Bhairahawa since November 19. Even though many airlines have started flying this time, stakeholders here are doubtful that they will continue. Therefore, they have started discussions to prepare an environment in which the airport will operate sustainably. Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, President of Federation of Industries and Commerce Chandra Prasad Dhakal, General Manager of Gautam Budh International Airport, Heads of various municipalities of Rupandehi, Vice President of Lumbini Development Fund and private sector representatives participated in the discussion held by Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday morning. 

President of Siddharth Hotel Association Chandra Prakash Shrestha said that the compulsion to go to Kathmandu to make government documents to go abroad should be ended as soon as possible. "Since the necessary offices are not operating in Bhairahawa, there is a suspicion that the flights will be flown from here only until Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is repaired," he said. 

Federation of Industry and Commerce President Chandra Prasad Dhakal said that it is sad that even after international flights, the basic infrastructure has to be entangled. 'Government is confused about the solution in a week,' he said, 'as soon as the ministry decides, the necessary office will come to Bhairahawa, for that, there should be an initiative.' was He requested to give up the understanding that the ship came here because the Kathmandu airport was being repaired. "Let's not work with the mindset that the planes will return after the repair of the Kathmandu airport," he said, "when every person here plays a positive role in running the airport, the government is also obliged." 

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation made an action plan for the operation of airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara last July. According to the action plan, the Ministry of Labor and Employment will operate an office that will provide labor, medical, and visa services for the operation of the airport. Under the achievements of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, it is mentioned that labor approval from Bhairahawa and Pokhara and foreign employment and licensee branches have been established in all provinces. 

'The action plan for the establishment of the airport operation was passed last July,' Pandey, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said, 'I will initiate the operation of the office by calling representatives of the relevant ministries.' He was committed to the sustainable operation of the airport.