Qatar Airways, which had been operating regular flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, has suspended its services. The airline had been running a daily commercial flight on the Doha-Bhairahawa-Kathmandu-Doha route using a wide-body Airbus A330 since November 12 (Kartik 27).
According to the airport authority, Qatar Airways conducted 38 flights from November 12 to December 1 (Mangsir 15) but suspended operations three days ago. Vinod Kumar Rawat, the information officer at Gautam Buddha International Airport, confirmed that the suspension began on Sunday.
Rawat explained that Qatar Airways had only obtained permission to operate flights at Bhairahawa from November 12 to December 1. “The airline had sought approval for flights from Kartik 27 to Mangsir 15, and after the permitted period expired, they halted operations,” he stated.
He added that the airline might now be in the process of obtaining fresh approval for future flights, as permissions are granted through Nepal’s central aviation authority.
Gyandendra Bhul, the deputy spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), noted that the authority had communicated with Qatar Airways via email, requesting them to submit a proposal for continued operations beyond December 1. “The airline has responded, saying they are discussing the matter at a higher level before making a decision,” Bhul said.
Meanwhile, airlines such as Nepal Airlines, Jazeera Airways, Fly Dubai, and Thai AirAsia continue to operate regular flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport.
The suspension of Qatar Airways’ flights has raised questions about the airline’s future commitment to Bhairahawa, despite its successful operations in Kathmandu, where it runs two daily flights.