By Our Correspondent
Dhangadhi, Oct. 13: Regular flights to three hilly districts of the Sudurpaschim State are set to start from Tuesday. Summit Air is going to operate regular flights to the hilly districts from Dhangadhi Airport.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, Dhangadhi, on Tuesday initial flight will be conducted to Bajhang. Flights to Dewal Airport in the district will now be available twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday.
Similarly, flights will be operated at Patan Airport in Baitadi on Tuesday and at Dipayal in Doti on Friday, said Tej Bahadur Budhathapa, Chief of Civil Aviation Authority, Dhangadhi. Last Saturday, Summit Air's aircraft had made a test flight to the airports of those three districts.
"From now on, there will be regular flights to these airports," said Chief Budhathapa. The flight time from Dhangadhi to Bajhang is 20-25 minutes, to Doti 15-16 minutes and to Baitadi 17-18 minutes, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
These airports have been waiting for regular flights for decades, which is going to materialize soon as the upgrading work has been completed recently.
There are already regular flights to Bajura's Kolti Airport every Monday and Friday. Chief of the Civil Aviation Authority, Budhathapa, said that the flight could be operated on other days in need. “Similarly, the regular flight to Sanphebgar of Achham will be finalised within few days,” he added.
"We have the required manpower in Sanphebagar, so we are planning to operate flights there," Budhathapa said.
Air traffic controllers have been deployed in Baitadi, Bajhang and Doti districts. Although regular flights have been prepared, the physical infrastructures are not adequate.
"Only Baitadi lacks the infrastructures. Flights keep on operating as structures are being built.” he added.
Tourism entrepreneurs in the region have been demanding regional flights from Dhangadhi Airport to the hilly districts of the Sudurpaschim State for a long time.
“Although it is good to start flights from Dhangadhi airport to the hilly districts, it is not good to operate flights by a private cargo company,” said Padam Bikram Singh, general secretary of Nepal Association of Travel Agents (NATA) chapter of Sudurpaschim State.
"Our demand is regular flights from passenger airlines. When operating a cargo flight, the plane is likely to fly only if it gets passengers. We also need to think about that," he said.