Himalaya Airlines to launch maiden commercial flights from PIA

 

KATHMANDU, MARCH 4: Himalaya Airlines is set to operate the first commercial flights from Pokhara International Airport (PIA), two years after its inauguration. The airline will launch flights to Lhasa, China, starting March 31.

In a press release, Himalaya Airlines announced its new Kathmandu–Lhasa–Pokhara–Kathmandu route, with a weekly flight schedule connecting Pokhara and Lhasa. The airline has already obtained flight approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) for this route.

According to CAAN Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul, Himalaya Airlines has applied for permission to operate its first scheduled flight to Lhasa.

Meanwhile, China's Sichuan Airlines is preparing to launch a Pokhara–Chengdu commercial flight once a week from March 18, although it has yet to receive flight approval from CAAN.

With these developments, aviation connectivity between Pokhara and Lhasa, known as the "Roof of the World," is set to expand. This is expected to boost the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal.

Currently, Himalaya Airlines operates five weekly flights from Kathmandu.