Buddha Air is set up to establish a new subsidiary for flights to remote area (STOL). The company decided to fly to remote areas by setting up a company called Yashodhara.
Birendra Bahadur Basnet, Managing Director of the company, said that the company had already bought 20 ropanis of land in Mantali to establish a base in Mantali.
“Our aim is not only to expand flights to remote destinations but also to benefit the area that is being used as a base for flights, both economically and in terms of tourism,” he said. “Kathmandu-Mulkot-Manthali is a three-hour journey by land.” Under our flight package, a monthly stay for tourists heading to Lukla would be necessary.
Basnet said that a base with a capacity of 300 people would be established on eight ropanis of land out of the 20 ropanis acquired by a visitor accommodation. “Out of 20 ropanis, 12 ropanis have been allocated for the road,”. “We will set up a base in eight ropanis to accommodate tourists.” According to him, the flight will begin on a monthly basis from September 2022 via the Yashodhara subsidiary.
The package will be set up by Buddha Holidays. The group would set up the Yashodhara Company with a capital of Rs. Two hundred fifty million in its reserve fund. Initially, there are proposals to start the flight with three aircraft, Basnet said.
A year after the airlines began to fly to remote destinations on a monthly basis, it aims to make Pokhara base and fly to remote destinations in the western area. “We have made it a priority to start regular flights from both the bases from September, giving priority to the tourist season,” he added.
He said that the decision to set up the Pokhara base had been delayed for a year because it had been deemed necessary to fly from one base before flying from both bases simultaneously from the same subsidiary. He said that the airlines would use one of Viking “Twinotter” and Cessna for the flight.
As soon as the company is chosen, Buddha intends to purchase two new aircraft for Lukla, Suketar, and Bhojpur flights.
The Lukla and Suketar flights located in Kathmandu are shorter from Mantali than the flight time. According to him, the Kathmandu-Lukla flight of 30 minutes is just 17 minutes away from Mantali. The 64-minute Kathmandu-Suketar flight from Mantali would take just 38 minutes.
“As the flight time from here will be very fast, there will be ten flights by one aircraft till 12 noon and 20 flights by two aircraft in the same period,” he said. “Initially, we will fly by two aircraft.” He said the company set up a base outside the valley for remote flights, following the air traffic congestion in Kathmandu.
The name of the subsidiary business so founded shall be
Yashodhara, the name of the wife of Lord Gautam Buddha. His relation to Gautam Buddha’s life story is incomparable. Buddha Air, has named Yashodhara as its subsidiary.
‘We have come this far with the name and blessings of Lord Gautama Buddha. The dedication of Yashodhara for his sacrifice and penance is commendable. It is because of her that Gautama Buddha has led the universe in harmony,” says Basnet.
