Buddha Air is set to commence flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur using a 72-seater aircraft. Previously, due to the short runway at Bharatpur Airport, Buddha Air operated flights with a 42-seater aircraft.
Bhakta Bahadur Basnet, Buddha Air’s manager in Bharatpur, announced that the airline plans to begin using the larger aircraft within a week. Last week, Shree Airlines conducted a test flight on the Kathmandu-Bharatpur route with an 80-seater aircraft. According to Basnet, the airline has received the necessary approvals and will start regular flights following successful test operations.
Basnet noted that the short runway means the aircraft cannot be fully loaded. It is estimated that the plane will carry 60 to 62 passengers from Kathmandu to Bharatpur and 50 to 60 passengers on the return flight. Currently, Buddha Air operates ATR-42 aircraft on the Kathmandu-Pokhara route and offers nine daily flights between Kathmandu and Bharatpur, along with one daily flight between Bharatpur and Pokhara. Despite the ATR-42’s 47-seat capacity, it cannot be operated at full capacity due to runway length and heat constraints.
The new aircraft being introduced is the ATR-72. Buddha Air has been providing regular flights to Bharatpur since 2005 and now serves over 11,000 passengers monthly.
The introduction of larger aircraft is expected to reduce airfare, which currently exceeds NPR 4,700 for a one-way trip on smaller planes. Additionally, Bharatpur Airport is undergoing expansion, including the construction of a new terminal building and the extension of the runway.
