KATHMANDU, APRIL 2
Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) has once again fallen into disuse, as flights that operated until March 29 have ceased, leaving the airport devoid of air traffic. Except for a single weekly international flight by Nepal Airlines, no other airline has resumed operations.
Business communities have expressed concern over the abrupt halt in services following Tribhuvan International Airport's decision to limit operations to 18 hours. They argue that GBIA has been relegated to a mere diversionary airport rather than a fully functional international hub and are demanding the resumption of regular flights.
According to GBIA spokesperson Shyam Kishor Saha, international carriers such as Jazeera Airways, Fly Dubai, and Thai AirAsia have yet to adopt their summer schedules. However, he remains optimistic about Jazeera Airways resuming flights in May.
He asserted that there are no operational issues with takeoffs or landings at GBIA, adding that while visibility concerns arose in January, they did not pose significant disruptions. The airport's infrastructure and technical facilities are fully capable of accommodating international flights, he maintained.
Business leaders, however, dispute this claim. They argue that the Nepal government has failed to provide timely incentives and discounts to airlines, discouraging carriers from committing to GBIA.
Anil Gyawali, who leads the Siddhartha Network Rupandehi, a group advocating for the airport's full operation, attributed the reluctance of international airlines to the government's delayed implementation of financial incentives. He further accused business interests in Kathmandu of resisting the decentralization of international flights from the federal capital.
Gyawali warned that if the government continues to neglect the operation of GBIA, local residents will launch fresh protests.
