{"id":88580,"date":"2025-04-01T16:19:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T10:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=88580"},"modified":"2025-04-01T16:19:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T10:49:31","slug":"new-pokhara-international-airport-welcomes-first-scheduled-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/01\/new-pokhara-international-airport-welcomes-first-scheduled-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"New Pokhara International Airport Welcomes First Scheduled Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>POKHARA-<\/strong> The <strong>$215.96 million<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/pokhara-airport\/\">Pokhara International Airport (PHH)<\/a> finally welcomed its first scheduled passenger flight on Monday, March 31, more than a year after its inauguration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nepal-Tibet joint venture <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/22\/westjet-first-officer-incapacitated-off-duty-pilot-lands-plane\">Himalaya Airlines (H9)<\/a> operated the flight from <strong>Lhasa (LXA), Tibet<\/strong>, marking a significant milestone for the facility. A 144-seater <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/airbus-a319\/\">Airbus A319<\/a> landed in Pokhara from Lhasa (LXA) with 107 passengers, which also received a <strong>water cannon salute<\/strong> at Pokhara International Airport (PHH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-88585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight.webp 900w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight-50x33.webp 50w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/himalaya-airlines-at-pokhara-airport-first-flight-450x300.webp 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo- Himalaya Airlines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pokhara-airport\">Pokhara Airport <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Airbus A319 departed from <strong>Lhasa Gonggar Airport<\/strong> at 2:39 pm Chinese local time and landed in Pokhara at 1:56 pm Nepal time. Despite slight delays due to wind conditions, the aircraft carried 107 passengers: 32 Chinese and 75 Nepali travelers. Airport officials welcomed the 144-seater plane with a traditional water cannon salute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This historic flight came nearly 15 months after the airport&#8217;s January 1, 2023 inauguration. <strong>The 90-minute Pokhara-Lhasa route now operates once weekly.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-88589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--50x33.webp 50w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_--450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/D-AVVU_-_Himalaya_Airlines_-_A320-214SL_-.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo- Martin Fester; Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-airport-incentives\">Airport Incentives<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Prem Nath Thakur, general manager of Pokhara Airport, expressed optimism about future flights. The airport has implemented significant incentives to attract airlines, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Waived landing fees for two years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No parking charges for two years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Free ground handling services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Removal of the Rs3,000 passenger service charge for departing tourists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite these measures, airlines face substantial operational costs. Vijay Shrestha, spokesperson of Himalaya Airlines (H9), highlighted <strong>fuel prices as a major concern. <\/strong>Aviation fuel costs $1,003 per kiloliter in <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/kathmandu-airport\/\">Kathmandu (KTM)<\/a> compared to $848.32 in <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/new-delhi-airport\/\">New Delhi (DEL)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-88587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-50x33.webp 50w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-1600x1066.webp 1600w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport-1200x800.webp 1200w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pokhara-airport.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pokhara International Airport; Photo- Spokesperson Of Chinese Embassy In Nepal (X)<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-expansion-plans-amp-tourism-initiatives\">Expansion Plans &amp; Tourism Initiatives<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Himalaya Airlines (H9) plans to increase flight frequency based on passenger demand. The airline aims to connect Pokhara and Kathmandu <strong>with ten different Chinese tourist destinations<\/strong>, with an ambitious goal of bringing <strong>one million Chinese tourists annually to Nepal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Faced with limited government promotion, Pokhara&#8217;s tourism entrepreneurs have launched their initiatives. The <strong>Pokhara Tourism Council<\/strong> partnered with China&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/tag\/sichuan-airlines\/\">Sichuan Airlines (3U)<\/a> to operate charter flights between <strong>Chengdu (CTU) <\/strong>and <strong>Pokhara (PHH).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baburam Pandey, acting president of the council, confirmed that <strong>Sichuan Airlines (3U) committed to ten weeks of flights<\/strong>, potentially bringing 1,250 Chinese tourists to Pokhara. Each chartered flight costs Nepali businesses Rs7.8 million to guarantee service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-88588\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-50x33.webp 50w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1200px-B-6590_-_Sichuan_Airlines_-_Airbus_A321-231_-_CAN_.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo- byeangel from Tsingtao, China; Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-geopolitics\">Geopolitics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Chinese-funded airport<\/strong> was designed to make Pokhara, Nepal&#8217;s tourism capital, less dependent on Kathmandu for international visitors. The facility serves as a gateway to the famous <strong>Annapurna Circuit trekking route<\/strong> and has triggered significant hospitality investments in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project became entangled in geopolitics when the Chinese Embassy described it as a flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project, while Nepal&#8217;s government hasn&#8217;t officially acknowledged this connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pokhara&#8217;s tourism entrepreneurs lobbied intensely for the airport, even staging hunger strikes in 2012. <strong>Nepal secured a 20-year soft loan from the Chinese EXIM Bank in 2016 to fund construction.<\/strong> The airport&#8217;s bowl-shaped, narrow valley location limits it to narrow-body aircraft operations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>India continues to deny air entry routes to both Pokhara (PHH) and Bhairahawa International Airport (BWA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/s\/aviationa2z\" rel=\"nofollow\">Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMPLdrgsw_-jGAw?hl=en-IN&amp;gl=IN&amp;ceid=IN%3Aen\">Google News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-aviation-a-2-z wp-block-embed-aviation-a-2-z\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"hkuYNH3lcE\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/11\/this-is-the-airport-that-has-no-commercial-flights\/\">This is the Airport that has No Commercial Flights<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;This is the Airport that has No Commercial Flights&#8221; &#8212; Aviation A2Z\" src=\"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/11\/this-is-the-airport-that-has-no-commercial-flights\/embed\/#?secret=1i2BUgRtY4#?secret=hkuYNH3lcE\" data-secret=\"hkuYNH3lcE\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The $215.96 million Pokhara Airport finally welcomed its first scheduled passenger flight, more than a year after its inauguration. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":88586,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7215,8149,7218,6761],"tags":[25842,1107,5558,25845,25843,25841,25846],"class_list":{"0":"post-88580","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-airline-news","8":"category-airport","9":"category-international-aviation-news","10":"category-news","11":"tag-himalaya-airlines-flight-to-pokhara","12":"tag-nepal","13":"tag-nepal-aviation","14":"tag-nepal-china-flights","15":"tag-new-pokhara-airport-first-flight","16":"tag-new-pokhara-international-airport","17":"tag-pokhara-international-airport"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/152"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88580"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88594,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88580\/revisions\/88594"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}