Pokhara-Chengdu regular flight service begins today

KATHMANDU: Today (Tuesday), the first commercial chartered flight from Pokhara International Airport to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, is scheduled to depart.

This flight comes after a long-standing demand from the people of Pokhara and is the result of collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors.

Although the Pokhara International Airport has been operational for two years, regular international flights have not been launched until now. On this first flight, 126 passengers will be flying to Chengdu aboard a Sichuan Airlines aircraft.

In an effort to establish a regular flight route, Sichuan Airlines has committed to operating three chartered flights from Chengdu to Pokhara, as shared by the Secretary-General of the Pokhara Tourism Council, Jeevanraj Sapkota. “Sichuan Airlines has initiated the chartered flights with the objective of making the Pokhara-Chengdu route a regular service,” Sapkota said. “After three chartered flights, the airline will introduce regular flight schedules with set fare rates.”

For the chartered flight, the airline has set a fare of Rs 62,000.

Following these three chartered flights, the airline plans to announce a flight schedule with regular fare rates. Sapkota believes that the Pokhara-Chengdu flights will significantly contribute to the development of tourism in the region.

After continuous efforts for international flights from Pokhara, private tourism businesses, in collaboration with the Pokhara Tourism Council, the Pokhara Metropolitan City, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Sichuan Airlines, and the Chinese Association in Nepal, are launching the first-ever commercial chartered flight from Pokhara, shared by the Chairman of the Pokhara Tourism Council, Taranath Pahari.

China’s China Travels International Chengdu is partnering for the initial flight operations. This flight is expected to stimulate tourism in Pokhara and the entire Gandaki Province, according to Pahari. He also mentioned that approximately 1,250 Chinese tourists from Sichuan Province will be arriving directly at Pokhara International Airport over the next three months.

The first-ever commercial chartered flight from Pokhara will be attended by key figures, including Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, Chief of the Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki Province, Maniraj Lamichhane, Coordinator of the Pokhara Visit Year 2025 Action Committee, Gobbahadur Bhattarai, Chairman of the Pokhara Tourism Council Taranath Pahari, tourism professionals, and journalists.

As part of the program accompanying the first commercial flight, a seven-night, eight-day itinerary will focus on tourism development and expansion in Chengdu, Lijiang, Emei, Leshan, and Chongqing.

Additionally, under the organization of the Nepal Tourism Board and in collaboration with the Nepali Consulate in Chengdu, Nepal Evening and Sales Mission events will be held in Chengdu and Chongqing on March 19 and 22, respectively.

According to Maniraj Lamichhane, the Chief of Nepal Tourism Board’s Pokhara Office, these “Sales Mission” programs, alongside the first-ever commercial chartered flight from Pokhara, will significantly contribute to the promotion of tourism in Pokhara and Nepal as a whole.