The Pokhara Jomsom air route witnessed an increase in demand as the road link from Pokhara to Mustang via Beni through Myagdi got blocked due to floods and landslides. Jomsom Airport Chief Bishwanath Sharma said the existing number of flights on the route are insufficient to meet the passenger demand after the closure of the road link. “Previously, there were about 5 flights of Tara Air and Summit Air each, on the route, but these days, both the airlines have operated 7 flights each,” stated the official.
Tara Air and Summit Air have been operating Twin Otter aircraft on the route. Although these flights are sufficient to meet the demand with regular traffic, the surge in the number of passengers on the route is putting a strain on the limited number of flights. Sharma added that the road closure pushed a huge number of tourists to choose the air route to Mustang. The air route is witnessing a passenger surge as the road link towards Mustang is still closed due to the disaster. According to Sharma, there is also an increase in the number of tourists visiting the region during the peak season.
High Peak Season Demand And Pilgrimage Drives Traffic Surge
In addition to the closure of the road link, the rising number of tourists and religious pilgrims visiting Mustang have added to the strain on the limited number of flights. In the Pitri Paksha, a large number of Hindu pilgrims visit Muktinath from Nepal and India, and many people travel to Kagbeni to perform rituals to honor their ancestors. The surge in religious pilgrims and the peak season have impacted the limited daily capacity of the aircraft, resulting in increased demand for tickets. Airlines have stated that sick and physically challenged passengers would be given priority while booking flights.
In addition, local authorities and the Jomsom Airport office are also assisting physically challenged passengers and foreign tourists in traveling to Mustang during the challenging times. Sharma stated that the road closure created an adverse situation for the people as the Pokhara Jomsom route would have been busy during this tourism season even without the disaster. The official added that the demand for tickets would decrease when the road link between Pokhara and Mustang via Beni opens up again.
Limited Early Morning Flights Strain The Capacity Of Airlines
Although airlines have tried their best to increase the number of flights on the route, the number is limited due to the morning take off of the flights. Information Officer at the Civil Aviation Office at Pokhara International Airport Binod Singh Rawat said that strong winds in the afternoon make it difficult for flights to depart from Jomsom Airport. This limitation forces airlines to operate the majority of their flights in the morning.
Rawat said, “Most of the flights operate in the morning as the weather conditions are clear during this time. The winds start blowing strongly in the afternoon, and it becomes risky for the flights to take off.” The Pokhara Jomsom route was suspended from May 18 due to the monsoon season and was resumed last week. The flight route is suspended during the rainy season as the visibility decreases, making it difficult for the aircraft to navigate the area.
After Heavy Rainfalls, Floods Close Road Route To Mustang For 12 Days
The air route to Mustang had increased strain last week due to heavy rainfalls from September 24 to 27. The heavy rainfalls triggered serious flooding in the Kali Gandaki river, which led to landslides in various parts of the road route. The Beni-Jomsom-Korala road route, which is part of the Kali Gandaki corridor, was closed for 12 days following the disaster. The road route closure has created a difficult situation for the people who are unable to travel to Mustang.
When the road route was blocked, the Pokhara Jomsom flight route became the only viable option for people to reach Mustang. Hence, the increase in the number of people on the air route is expected as the entire road route closure limited the number of possible transportation options. In addition, the flight route faces a high demand during the peak season, which further strains the capacity of the airlines. Once the Beni Jomsom Korala road route opens up, the demand for the Pokhara Jomsom flight route is expected to reduce. The air route would operate primarily on the demand generated during the peak season for tourism.
Source: Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS)
