Around the end of 2018, the only operating airline to Rajbiraj airport, Shree Airlines decreased the flight frequency to the airport after its aircraft had to undergo maintenance. The airline reduced 5 weekly flights to 3 and now the passengers are facing trouble.
Shree Airlines started flight to the airport from June 24 of last year. The airline started operation with 5 flights a week and but the end of 2018, the airline reduced the flight to 3 weekly flights.
The airline used to operate on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday but now is operating only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as the aircraft are undergoing maintenance, said the airlines’ officials.
The airport has just come into operation after a long time and the reduction on flight number has caused problem for the people travelling to and from the airport. The problem has also aroused as only Shree airline is operating to the airport.
The flights have been serving peoples of various districts like Saptari, Siraha, Udaypur etc. along with other travelers from neighboring country India also.
Now the passenger who are in urgent to reach the country capital have to take 90 kilometer of ride to Biratnagar airport to make flights to Capital.
Airline official has stated that the flight frequency has been deduced due to aircraft maintenance and will now only increase flights if there is adequate number of passengers on the route.
The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), late Mr. Rabindra Adhikari on May 24, last year had inaugurated the resumption of Rajbiraj airport in Saptari after closure of around one and a half decades in between the period of its establishment in 2016 B.S.
The airport resumed operation some 10 years ago by Tara air but the flight couldn’t continue for more than a month.
Rajbiraj Airport was repaired and upgraded at the cost of NRs. 303 million. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the then transport minister Ganeshman Singh had laid the foundation stone of the airport 59 years ago.
