Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA), the nation’s second international airport located in Bhairahawa, has seen a surge in international flights as three airlines began operations today. After a prolonged wait since its completion, Nepal Airlines, Jazeera Airways, and Fly Dubai are now offering regular flights from this airport.
For the first time, GBIA is handling three international flights in a single day, marking a new phase of growth for the airport, shared Pratap Babu Tiwari, the airport’s general manager. “This is the highest number of flights since the airport’s inauguration, which indicates increased commercial viability and will likely attract more passengers in the days ahead,” said Tiwari.
Nepal Airlines and Jazeera Airways have resumed operations, while Fly Dubai is making its first flight to GBIA, bringing the total number of airlines offering regular international flights from the airport to four. Thai Air Asia recently launched biweekly flights to Bangkok, operating on Mondays and Thursdays, having started their commercial service from Bhairahawa on Kartik 18. Additionally, Qatar Airways is expected to begin flights to GBIA soon, according to airport authorities.
Today’s flight schedule includes Jazeera Airways, with its plane arriving from Kuwait at 7:30 a.m. and departing back to Kuwait at 8:30 a.m. Jazeera Airways had paused flights for ten months but is now set to operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Fly Dubai will make its debut landing at GBIA today around noon, with plans to operate flights between Dubai, Bhairahawa, and Kathmandu daily.
Nepal Airlines has scheduled flights to Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Bhairahawa, using the airport as a base for these international destinations. Friday’s scheduled flight was moved to today due to technical reasons, according to Tiwari. Nepal Airlines will now operate flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bhairahawa every Tuesday, with the aircraft landing at GBIA at 7:00 a.m.
Since its inauguration on Jestha 2, 2079 BS, GBIA initially hosted Jazeera Airways, which later suspended flights due to technical issues. Now, with multiple airlines resuming and launching services, GBIA is on track to reach its full operational potential. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) reports that immigration, customs, and security facilities are fully prepared, with 21 passenger service counters equipped with automated systems to streamline operations.
TIA Undergoes Upgrades
Meanwhile, Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) commenced its extensive upgrade project on Friday night. Due to TIA’s maintenance and expansion, which includes a new parallel taxiway, international apron, and hangar apron, GBIA is experiencing an increase in international flight operations.
This ambitious development aligns with the government’s commitment to operate GBIA and Pokhara International Airport at full capacity as national pride projects. To support this, the government has offered attractive incentives to airlines interested in commencing or resuming international services at these airports, ensuring robust international connectivity for Nepal.
