Buddha Air is planning to use ATR-72 series aircraft On the Kathmandu-Tumlingtar route. To determine if the ATR-72 aircraft can be operated, the company performed a test flight on Friday.
Buddha Air ATR-72, 9N-AJO, made a test flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar on Friday at 9:30 a.m. Dipendra Kumar Karna said, ‘Today was a test flight.’ He added. ‘We want to fly ATR-72 on the Kathmandu-Tumlingtar route as soon as the lockdown is lifted.’
The company has previously used Beechcraft and ATR-42 series aircraft at this destination due to limited airfield and limited passenger capacity.
Only small planes have been taking off and landing at Sankhuwasabha’s Tumlingtar Airport with a 1,420-meter runway. The upgrade of the runway was completed last April.
According to Dipendra Kumar Karna, Buddha Air’s information officer, the operational costs might be decreased if the ATR-72 aircraft is easy to take off and land. “When the company can operate an aircraft like ATR-72, than a smaller one,” he continued, “the company may contemplate a charge.”
This destination’s fare has been set at roughly Rs 6,000. The company said that the ATR-72 series would decrease the fare.
Photo and Video by: Dilip Rajbanshi
