Kathmandu-Tikapur flight service starts today

KATHMANDU: Tikapur Airport, which has been closed for 27 years, has resumed regular operations. On Sunday, a Tara Air flight, YT 1701, a Twin Otter aircraft, landed at 1:44 PM with three crew members, six staff, and 12 passengers.

This marked the beginning of regular flights at the airport.

The first flight was welcomed by Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation State Minister Arun Kumar Chaudhary, along with Tikapur Municipality Mayor Ram Lal Dagora and Industry Commerce Association Vice-Chair Krishna Bajagain, among others. Hundreds of locals were present to give a grand welcome to the flight.

Minister Chaudhary stated that the airport would soon undergo further upgrades and a direct Kathmandu-Tikapur flight would be launched in the future. “I had committed to reopening Tikapur Airport during the past election, and today it has become a reality. I will continue my efforts to ensure its sustainability,” he said.

The airport’s operations were made possible through a special initiative by the Tikapur Municipality, with Yeti Airlines managing the Kathmandu-Nepalgunj flights, and Tara Air providing connecting flights from Nepalgunj to Tikapur.

Regular flights will operate every Sunday and Thursday from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and onward to Tikapur, and vice versa.

A minimum of 15 seats will be ensured for each flight as part of an agreement between Tikapur Municipality and Tara Air.

According to Mayor Dagora, Yeti Airlines will operate flights from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, where passengers will transfer to Tara Air for the flight to Tikapur. A one-way fare from Kathmandu to Tikapur has been set at Rs 9,000.

After years of effort, the airport’s reopening was made possible with support from Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister Chaudhary, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, local political representatives, business associations, and stakeholders like Siddhartha Business Group of Hospitality.

Pathil Holidays has been appointed as the official ticket seller for the flights, with tickets available at their offices in Tikapur, Siddhartha Hotel, and Three Kune in Kathmandu. Passengers can also purchase tickets through Yeti Airlines’ app, travel agencies, Khasti, and Esewa.

The reopening of the airport is expected to benefit local residents from neighboring areas such as Kailali, Surkhet, and Bardiya, who previously had to travel to Dangadi and Nepalgunj for flights. Currently, the runway at the airport is gravelled.

Krishna Prasad Nyaupane, CEO of Siddhartha Business Group, expressed confidence that the airport’s reopening would make it easier to develop Tikapur as a tourist destination.

According to Tara Air spokesperson Sudarshan Bartola, Yeti Airlines will depart from Kathmandu for Nepalgunj at 10:00 AM, and Tara Air will carry passengers to Tikapur at 12:30 PM.

The return flights are scheduled for 1:20 PM from Tikapur to Nepalgunj, with a Yeti Airlines flight departing Nepalgunj for Kathmandu at 2:05 PM.

Additionally, an agreement has been made between Tara Air and Sanfebagar Municipality for flights to the airport in Achham. Regular flights from this airport will begin after successful test flights.

The municipality has also signed an agreement ensuring a minimum of 15 seats on each flight, with the municipality covering the cost if this number is not met.