Gautam Buddha International Airport Sees Surge in International Flights as Jazeera, FlyDubai, and Nepal Airlines Resume Operations

Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA), Nepal’s second international airport, experienced an uptick in international flights, with three airlines resuming operations on Saturday. After a period of low international activity, Jazeera Airlines, FlyDubai, and Nepal Airlines conducted flights, bringing renewed momentum to GBIA.

Jazeera Airlines resumed its service to and from GBIA with a flight carrying 171 passengers, landing at 7:30 am and departing at 8:30 am with 168 passengers. This Kuwaiti airline will now operate flights three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. FlyDubai also resumed flights, with its plane arriving from Dubai at 2:33 pm carrying 186 passengers and departing for Kathmandu at 3:41 pm with 176 passengers. Additionally, Nepal Airlines is set to operate Kathmandu-Bhairahawa-Dubai flights on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays.

Local travelers expressed excitement at the convenience of landing directly in Bhairahawa, saving time compared to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Tijan Rana from Devdaha Municipality and Nepal’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Ghanshyam Lamsal, both highlighted the ease and significance of landing in Bhairahawa.

With the recent resumption of flights, the number of international flights from Bhairahawa has increased to four, including regular services by Thai AirAsia from Bangkok. The airport, now operating for 18 hours daily, can handle up to 36 international flights per day, with adequate staffing in immigration and other departments.

This expansion comes at an opportune time as TIA in Kathmandu undergoes a 10-hour daily closure for upgrades, positioning GBIA as a viable alternative for international travelers.