flydubai is poised to become the first international airline to run regular scheduled flights from Pokhara International Airport with services beginning Wednesday on the Dubai Pokhara route. According to airport General Manager Jagannath Niraula, the airline has been granted permission to land in Pokhara at 6:15 p.m. and to depart to Dubai at 7:15 p.m. daily. It is expected to use Airbus A319 or A320 aircraft with a seating capacity of approximately 160 to 170 passengers on the route.
The launch of flydubai airline marks a significant step forward for an airport that has been without regular international services for almost a year. Sichuan Airlines previously ran charter flights, and Himalaya Airlines also ran a single weekly charter service for a brief time, but neither was sustained for long. The new daily operation is expected to benefit tourists and tourism businesses, as well as local residents and Nepali migrant workers in Pokhara and the surrounding areas. Niraula said the service could also convey a positive message about the tourism potential in Nepal to international markets.
Dubai Connection Opens Access to Global Destinations in flydubai Airlines
The new service of flydubai airline will give passengers travelling through Dubai connecting flight options to more than 120 countries, providing the airport with a wider international travel network. It could be particularly useful for Nepalis going for foreign employment as well as for passengers and tourists going to destinations such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Direct international access from Pokhara could also enable some travellers to avoid first going to Kathmandu to connect with international flights. For the tourism sector, it provides an additional international gateway for visitors going to Pokhara and other destinations in western Nepal.
The regular operation of flydubai airline also provides the opportunity for Pokhara International Airport to demonstrate its ability to handle scheduled international services rather than just occasional charter operations. For tourism businesses in Pokhara, regular connectivity can facilitate developing travel packages and coordinating arrivals with international markets. Having a daily international service can also increase the airport’s visibility among airlines considering future operations in Nepal. However, whether such services will be sustained depends on passengers and the airline’s commercial results.
Government Incentives Cut Airline Operating Costs
To attract international flights to Pokhara and Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, the government has launched considerable financial incentives. Airlines flying international routes at the two airports have been exempt from a range of flight-related charges up to the end of Bhadra 2085, which corresponds to September 2028. Carriers serving Pokhara, next to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, receive a 100% waiver on landing, parking, and navigation charges as well as a 50% waiver on ground-handling charges.
As the report notes, the incentives can deliver benefits to an airline worth up to Rs 700,000 per flight. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal and the Nepal Tourism Board have waived the charges that apply, while Nepal Airlines, the ground handling provider, and Nepal Oil Corporation, the aviation fuel supplier, have offered discounts as well. A three year fee waiver scheme had been introduced by the government earlier, and with the incentives extended, flydubai will be among the first carriers to gain from the renewed support. The aim of these measures is to make operations from the two newer international airports more financially attractive than those from Kathmandu.
Pokhara Gains From Wider Fee And Fuel Discounts in flydubai
In addition to airport charges, the incentives apply to aviation fuel. For narrow-body aircraft flying from Pokhara, Civil Aviation Authority charges are reportedly about US$4,000 per flight, while Nepal Airlines’ ground handling fees come to roughly US$5,500 with a 50% discount applicable to the latter. Combined with these concessions, airlines can save over Rs 700,000 per flight depending on the charges that apply and the exchange rate. International passengers using the airport are also fully exempt from the Rs 3,000 passenger service charge that applies to international flights.
At Pokhara, flydubai airlines also have considerable savings in terms of aviation fuel compared to Kathmandu. Nepal Oil Corporation currently charges US$1,697 per kilolitre for international aviation fuel in Kathmandu, against US$1,275 in Pokhara and US$1,260 in Bhairahawa. For airlines operating from Pokhara, that amounts to a gap of up to US$422 per kilolitre or roughly Rs 64,000 per kilolitre at the exchange rate cited in the report. With the waivers on landing, parking, navigation, passenger and other service charges, the incentives are aimed at reducing operating costs and attracting more international airlines to set up regular services at Pokhara.
