Gautam Buddha Int’l Airport desolate again, airlines yet to take ‘summer schedule’

Bhairahawa: The Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) has turned desolate again.

The airport, which saw some flights till March 29, has not conducted any flights since then, as no airlines provided the service.

The Nepal Airlines is conducting an international flight once a week.

The international airport, which had witnessed flights after the Tribhuvan International Airport limited the service to 18 hours, has recorded an abrupt interruption, thereby distressing businesspersons here.

The GBIA was used only for a diversion, they argued, demanding resumption of the international flights.

Spokesperson at GBIA, Shyam Kishor Saha, informed that the international airlines like Jazeera Airways, Fly Dubai and Thai AirAsia had not taken ‘summer schedule’. However, there is hope of Jazeera’s flight from May.

Sah argued there were no problems at all in landing in and take off from GBIA. Although there was some concern over low visibility in January, it was not problematic at all. Other convenience and technical facilities to the airlines and passengers were on par, he added.

However, the businesspersons refuted Sah’s view. Nepal government failed to provide timely discount to the airlines companies that they require from the airport, they argued.

Anil Gyawali, a person leading a group, Siddhartha Network Rupandehi, to exert pressure on the government for regular operation of the GBIA, said major reason behind the international airlines denying ‘summer schedule’ is delayed discount to the airlines companies.

Similarly, the businesspersons concentrated in Kathmandu were not willing to conduct international flights out of the federal capital, Gyawali blamed.

If the government fails to run the international airport, the locals will be agitated again, he warned.