Buddha Air to launch Kathmandu-Bharatpur flights with 72-seater aircraft

KATHMANDU: Buddha Air is set to commence Kathmandu-Bharatpur flights with a 72-seater aircraft, a shift from the 42-seater planes previously used due to the short runway.

Bhakta Bahadur Basnet, Buddha Air’s Bharatpur manager, mentioned that preparations are underway to operate the larger aircraft within a week.

This move follows Shree Airlines’ recent successful test flight with an 80-seater aircraft on the same route.

Basnet explained that due to the short runway, it won’t be possible to fill all seats on the aircraft. It is estimated that the flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur will carry 60 to 62 passengers, while the return flights from Bharatpur to Kathmandu will accommodate 50 to 60 passengers.

Currently, Buddha Air operates ATR-42 aircraft between Kathmandu and Pokhara.

There are nine daily flights between Kathmandu and Bharatpur and one daily flight between Bharatpur and Pokhara.

Despite having a capacity of 47 seats, these flights are not operating at full capacity due to runway limitations and high temperatures.

The new aircraft to be introduced is the ATR-72. Buddha Air has been operating regular flights to Bharatpur since 2005, and now serves over 11,000 passengers monthly.

The one-way fare for the smaller aircraft is currently over NPR 4,700. With the introduction of the larger aircraft, it is expected that airfares will decrease.

Additionally, the Bharatpur airport is undergoing improvements, including the construction of a new terminal building and runway expansion.