Pokhara awaits int’l flights: High expectations, limited returns

POKHARA, July 15: For years, Pokhara lobbied the government for an international airport, arguing that the city's tourism potential could not be fully realized without direct international air links. After repeated appeals were ignored, residents launched a relay hunger strike in August 2012, which lasted nearly three months. Political parties, tourism entrepreneurs, educators, health workers, and civil society joined the campaign.

The movement escalated beyond protests. Demonstrators surrounded Singha Durbar, suspended flights at Pokhara's old airport, and even called for a halt to airline ticket sales. The sustained pressure eventually forced the government to approve the airport project.

The airport, however, has remained far from the game-changer many had envisioned. Although the project raised hopes across Gandaki Province, it has also been mired in controversy. Nepal's anti-corruption agency has filed corruption cases against several former officials, alleging irregularities during construction.

Despite the controversy, businesses poured money into tourism. Hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and other tourism related ventures expanded rapidly, expecting international visitors to fly directly into Pokhara instead of first landing in Kathmandu. The Gandaki provincial government even encouraged investors to build more hotels, warning that existing capacity might fall short once international flights began.

More than three and a half years after the airport began operations, those expectations remain largely unmet.

Although Pokhara International Airport officially opened in January 2023, it has yet to secure regular international commercial services. Apart from a handful of charter flights and limited scheduled operations, no international route has operated consistently. The airport remains largely dependent on domestic flights.

Former Pokhara Tourism Council chairman Pomanarayan Shrestha said the airport has helped strengthen Pokhara's international profile, but the economic benefits have fallen well short of expectations.

"We were very optimistic about the airport, but things have not gone as planned," he said. "Businesses invested heavily after construction began, particularly in hotels, restaurants, and travel services. Those investments are still waiting to deliver the expected returns."

Shrestha believes the airport should have launched regular international services from the day it opened. While some scheduled flights were introduced, they failed to continue because they did not serve commercially viable destinations.

Even so, he remains hopeful. Charter flights, rescue operations, and occasional scheduled services have demonstrated that the airport is operational. Domestic aviation has also expanded significantly. He believes those experiences have laid the groundwork for regular international operations.

That optimism has grown with FlyDubai's announcement that it will launch direct flights between Pokhara and Dubai from September 23. The airline has received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to operate the route initially for one month, with flights scheduled until October 24. Tourism entrepreneurs see the service as an important test for the airport's international future.

Airport chief Jagannath Niraula agrees that the airport has not yet delivered the benefits it was built to provide. While domestic operations have improved, the lack of sustained international services has prevented the airport from reaching its full potential.

He believes India offers the biggest opportunity. This year, Pokhara received a record number of Indian tourists arriving by road. If even a portion of those visitors could fly directly into the city, the airport could quickly become a busy regional hub.

"Pokhara struggled to accommodate Indian visitors arriving by road," Niraula said. "If we can establish direct air links with Indian cities, the airport itself will face pressure handling passenger traffic."

He added that diplomatic efforts are continuing to secure additional international routes and urged patience, saying airport projects typically require years before generating significant returns.

Still, he acknowledged that the expected benefits have taken longer than anticipated.

To attract more international airlines, Nepal must also expand key passenger services at Pokhara, including customs, immigration, and other airport facilities. Until those supporting systems are fully developed and more international routes are secured, Pokhara's long awaited gateway to the world will remain an airport defined more by promise than performance.