Pokhara-Jomsom flights drop sharply

MUSTANG, APRIL 7: With the gradual improvement of the National Pride Project — the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road — the number of flights between Pokhara and Jomsom has decreased by two-thirds.

The Jomsom Airport, which used to be bustling with activity during the tourist season, now sees far fewer passengers. In the Himalayan district of Mustang, small Twin Otter aircraft would previously operate morning flights between Pokhara and Jomsom. But now, during the early hours, the airport sees only a limited number of passengers.

Before the highway project began, more than 300 tourists traveled daily to Mustang via flights from Pokhara to Jomsom. That number has now dropped to less than half, mainly due to the ongoing upgrades of the Korala Road. More than two-thirds of the rough road from Beni in Myagdi to Muktinath in Mustang has already been blacktopped.

According to Keshav Lamsal, chief of the Jomsom Civil Aviation Office, this year’s decline in flight numbers compared to previous years is directly linked to the road being blacktopped. “Before the road upgrade, records show that up to 18 flights a day operated here,” he said. “Now, many tourists travel to and from Mustang via road instead of air.”

With the end of winter and the arrival of spring, this is typically a peak time to visit Mustang. However, Sujan Lalchan, Jomsom station manager of Tara Air, noted that most tourists now prefer road travel, leading to a decline in flights. “We used to struggle to provide tickets to passengers. With many tourists buying round-trip tickets in advance, locals and staff often couldn't find seats,” he said. “Now, if passengers don’t pre-book both ways, we’re forced to fly aircraft back empty. This problem has intensified over the past year.”

Although Indian tourists generally buy round-trip tickets from Pokhara to visit Muktinath and return the next day, most tourists from other countries purchase one-way tickets, resulting in many return flights from Jomsom being nearly empty, said Suman Thakali, station manager of Summit Airlines. “Previously, locals and staff would also fly out from here,” he said. “Now, since the road is in good condition, most people choose to travel back to Pokhara by road.”

Another major reason for the decline in flights is the safety concern on the Pokhara-Jomsom route, which has seen about half a dozen air accidents in recent years. In response, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has introduced stricter regulations and increased surveillance, further reducing flight numbers.

Travel agency managers also pointed out that although they book flights, many tourists are eventually sent by road when flights are canceled. “Even when air tickets are booked, they prefer sending tourists by road because it saves half the cost,” said Thakali, “so people don’t wait around for flights like they used to.”

Sending tourists by vehicle despite booking air tickets has proven financially beneficial for travel agencies. As the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road continues to improve, most tourists now opt for road travel to Mustang. The convenience, affordability, and timely availability of transportation have made the road route more attractive.

Locals of Mustang — including government employees, security personnel, laborers, and general residents — now mostly travel by road. The Jomsom Civil Aviation Office reports that there are currently only about five to six flights a day between Pokhara and Jomsom. Among these passengers, about 80% are Indian and the remaining 20% are from other countries.

Before the implementation of the Beni-Jomsom Road Project, and in favourable weather, there used to be up to 18 flights daily on this route. Aircraft would be fully booked, catering mostly to Indian and third-country tourists. It was extremely difficult for Nepali tourists to get tickets for the Pokhara-Jomsom route.

The lack of uniform pricing in air tickets posed challenges for both domestic tourists and locals of Mustang. Airlines often sold tickets at double or triple the price to foreign tourists, leaving little availability for Nepali travellers. Airlines were reluctant to issue tickets to Nepali passengers.

Only in cases of accidents or medical emergencies — and upon recommendation from a health post or hospital — would they be provided with air tickets. Travelling by air from Pokhara to Jomsom used to be a struggle. But now, that time has completely changed.