NEPALGUNJ, May 20: Buddha Air has suspended its direct Nepalgunj–Pokhara flights indefinitely, ending a service that had been operating for nearly five years.
According to Buddha Air’s Nepalgunj station chief Binita Bikram Shah, the suspension was triggered by a sharp decline in Indian religious tourists and rising aviation fuel costs. The airline initially described the halt as a one-month suspension linked to the ongoing Malamas period, during which fewer pilgrims travel from India, but local tourism stakeholders say the route’s future remains uncertain.
The direct service between Nepalgunj and Pokhara had been operating three times a week since August 2021 with the aim of promoting tourism and improving connectivity for Indian visitors travelling to western Nepal and Pokhara.
Number of air passengers and flights take a nosedive after air...
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The suspension came into effect on Tuesday.
Tourism entrepreneurs and local residents in western Nepal have expressed concern over the decision, saying the flight significantly reduced travel time between the two cities. With the route suspended, passengers are once again expected to rely on road transport, which can take up to 14 hours.
The route was launched with the support of the Nepalgunj chapter of the Association of Tours and Travel Agents Nepal (NATTA). NATTA Nepalgunj founding president Shriram Sigdel said the airline had officially halted its scheduled flights and warned that the service could remain uncertain unless authorities intervene.
Buddha Air had been operating the route using 18-seat Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. The flight connected travellers from Pokhara to destinations such as Bardiya National Park, Karnali Chisapani and Rara, while also facilitating movement of tourists arriving from Indian cities including Lucknow, Kanpur and Delhi.
Airfares on the route had initially ranged from Rs 4,935 to Rs 7,635, with plans to expand to daily operations if passenger demand increased. However, the airline said rising fuel costs and declining passenger numbers eventually made the service unsustainable.
