Since April 1, international airlines have suspended their regular flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Lumbini. Thai Air Asia, Fly Dubai, and Jazeera Airways, which previously operated regular flights to Thailand, UAE, and Kuwait, have all halted their services. The reason for the suspension is that these airlines have not yet obtained approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) for their “summer schedule” of flights.
According to the airport office, Nepal Airlines continues to operate its weekly service between Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Lumbini, and Kathmandu. However, the international airlines that have suspended their flights are still in discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the approval of their schedules.
Binod Singh Rawat, an information officer at the airport, explained that the airlines are required to submit their “summer schedule” to the Civil Aviation Authority for approval, but none of the international airlines have done so yet. He mentioned that there are ongoing positive discussions with the airlines, but until the approval is received, the resumption of flights remains uncertain.
Local businessmen and industry leaders have expressed concerns about the situation, particularly criticizing the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, Pradeep Adhikari, for his negative comments and actions that they believe have hindered the continuous operation of the airport. Anil Kumar Gyawali, president of the Siddhartha Network Rupandehi, stated that the Director General’s remarks have prevented the airport from functioning smoothly, and he called for disciplinary action to be taken against him. The network also warned that they would take action if regular flights do not resume soon.
In addition, the Siddhartha Industry and Commerce Association has also raised concerns about the issue. They noted that despite assurances from ministers and officials during various discussions that international flights would not stop, all international airlines, except Nepal Airlines, have suspended their services. They have warned that if the suspension continues, they will be forced to take stronger measures. The business community is particularly worried because the suspension of international flights is putting investments worth billions of rupees at risk.
