Acting General Manager Shyam Kishore Sah claims that Gautam Buddha Airport is one step ahead of Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu in terms of facilities and technology.
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Lumbini Province Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya has drawn the attention of the federal government not to delay the operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.
Speaking at the 27th foundation day ceremony of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal at the airport premises in Bhairahawa on Wednesday, he demanded that the airport be operated in the spirit with which it was built.
‘We have repeatedly drawn the attention of the federal government to the need to operate the airport,’ he said, ‘but the expected results have not been achieved, we are still trying to do so.’ He also urged the provincial government to clarify how much responsibility and what role it should play for the regular operation of the airport. He said that the federal government is ready to work according to the role given to it.
Stating that the country's second international airport has the capacity to handle any type of aircraft, he said that it is necessary to promote the facilities available here at the international level.
‘During the construction, there was a debate on whether the airport would be built or not,’ he said, ‘Now there is a debate on whether it will be built or not.’ He drew the attention of stakeholders to play a role in operating the airport, even through air diplomacy.
Acting General Manager of the airport, Shyam Kishore Sah, said that Gautam Buddha Airport is a step ahead of Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu in terms of facilities and technology. He said that there is disappointment over the lack of regular flights from the airport, which has been operational since April 20, 2079. ‘But Bhairahawa has not been able to share the passenger traffic of Tribhuvan Airport,’ he said, ‘Even after giving discounts to airlines on various services, they are not being attracted.’ He said that even though the government has taken a policy to make Bhairahawa a cargo hub, it has not been implemented.
He said that the number of international flights from Bhairahawa will increase by the end of 2026 as diplomatic initiatives are being taken to request the government to operate regular flights from the airport. ‘We will not be without international flights when we organize the anniversary next year,’ he said, ‘We are taking initiatives to operate flights to various cities in India along with the Qatari embassy.’
Airport Operations Division Chief Murari Prasad Poudel informed that Thai Air Asia has been operating Bhairahawa-Bangkok flights twice a week since Kartik 20. In addition, two elephants gifted by Nepal to the Qatar government were also sent from Bhairahawa via a Qatar Airways plane. He said that this confirmed that large aircraft can provide services to Bhairahawa.
‘Not only the private sector, but also the government has invested billions in Bhairahawa,’ he said. ‘If this airport is not operational, not only the private sector, but also the government is in danger of sinking.’ Therefore, he said that ‘aviation diplomacy’ should be adopted to operate the airport as soon as possible.
The anniversary ceremony was attended by the office heads, industrialists, businessmen, tourism entrepreneurs, government offices and security chiefs within the airport. The winners and runners-up of various games organized during the anniversary were awarded at the program.
