-KATHMANDU
Leading Domestic carrier Buddha Air has unveiled plan to start international flights from Nepalgunj to New-Delhi with its Franco-Italian aircraft named as ATR 72-212A.
Birendra Bahadur Basnet, Managing Director for Buddha Air said that the airline will file the necessary documents to authorities by May 28 for commencing the flight service on this new sector. “If the flight permission will be granted than the airline is preparing to commence the flight commercially from the end of September, 2018 to New Delhi three flights a day.
The airline also stated they will terminate their previous plan to fly Kolkata if authority provides approval to fly directly to India’s Capital City. The flight time for Nepalgunj-New Delhi is approximately around an hour which is analogous to the flight time from Kathmandu-Nepalgunj Sector by ATR 72-212A aircraft.
Buddha Air has been focusing the Nepalgunj-Delhi flights due to the increasing number of tourists for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage site. Kaliash Mansarover is considered most auspicious to make a religious pilgrimage around its fifty-three kilometres circuit (32 miles parikrama). Mount Kailash is highly revered for the being the abode of Lord Shiva. Every year, hundreds of devotees embark on the treacherous journey to this peak for seeking the blessings of the Lord and take a dip in the holy Mansarover Lake.
For two decades Buddha Air has been flying to domestic destination overtaking around 63% of market and also chartered flight to Paro in Bhutan and Vanarasi in India. Currently there are 850 workers in the company and has planned to commence international flight from Pokhara International Airport from August of 2021.
Currently, the airlines has five 72 seater ATR 72-500, three 47 seater ATR 42-320, and two 18 seater Beachcraft-1900D series aircraft and has successfully flown 10 million passengers and is providing service to 1 million tourists yearly.
The airlines is providing services to Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa, Bharatpur, Simara, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Bhadrapur, Pokhara, Dhangadi and Tumlingtar from Tribhuwan International Airport. It is also conducting ‘Mountain Flights’. The airline also has one of the best workshop hanger in South Asia which provides maintenance service to Nevo Air and Hello Air aircraft of Bangladesh.
