Janakpur Airport is preparing to feature night flight operation from December, 2018 to cope with the growing air traffic management due to high flow of passengers and flight frequency.
At present, lights are being installed on to the runway and taxiway whereas taxiway is also being blacktopped of Janakpur Airport.
Murari Prasad Poudel, chief of Janakpur Airport stated that Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Air Field Lining System are being connected for night service. All preparation will be completed within December 25 as the work has paced up within a short time limit, he added.
Chief Poudel said that the aim is to start night service from Janakpur Airport on the occasion of anniversary of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) on December 31. He said that no flight would get cancelled due to limitation of operational hours after the night flight initiates.
In the past, sometimes due to poor weather, flights used to be cancelled for a long period of time up to 16 days, he said. Apron area of the airport is also being upgraded and expanded. Currently, only 4 aircraft can be managed in apron area but after enhancing apron area, up to 8 aircraft can be parked and managed in a single time.
According to Poudel, the plan for expansion of the runway has also been studied. “Some portion of land should be compensated for acquisition and once this topic is cleared, the runway expansion can begin,” he added.
Currently, only four flights are being conducted from Janakour Airport daily. However, after Janakpur was announced as temporary capital of State 2, the flow of passengers increased rapidly and even the availability of ticket is problematic.
“The arc of passengers has increased but we cannot do anything, flights frequency can be increased only if the airlines want,” said Chief Poudel.
He informed that there is a possibility of operating 16 flights daily at Janakpur Airport to attract tourists to Janakpur. He also said that Buddha Air has been preparing to operate flights to Janakpur-Kathmandu-Patna.
Janakpur Airport which started its operation from 1960 still lacks adequate, efficient airport infrastructures and security for air passengers and the air port still lacks ambulance services for emergency purpose.
