Buddha Air, a private airline company of the country, has started its direct flights in Kathmandu-Rajbiraj sector from today.
With ATR 72 aircraft, the company has begun operating one daily flight in this sector. As a promotional fare, the airline has set ticket price at Rs 2,500 per person.
As per the company, the flight service will benefit passengers from Saptari, Udayapur, Siraha and Sunsari. Moreover, as Rajbiraj is also a significant place for religious and tourism activities, the company believes this flight operation will facilitate passengers travelling to nearby religious and tourist destinations via Rajbiraj airport.
Likewise, Rajbiraj is also quite near the border side areas of Saharsa, Supaul, Nirmali, Birpur, Raghopur, Pipara, Pratapganj and other destinations of India. Hence, the flight operation in this sector will enhance the travel convenience for tourists from both Nepal and India, Buddha Air stated.
Until now, only Shree Airlines was operating regular flights in the Kathmandu-Rajbiraj route. Earlier, Shree Airlines had halted the flights on this route citing low occupancy rate but had resumed the flights again.
Amid this, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is renovating the Rajbiraj airport. CAAN recently completed the construction of a new terminal building at Rajbiraj airport, while the blacktopping of the runway is ongoing. It also plans to prepare a master plan for the development and expansion of the airport.
Meanwhile, Buddha Air is set to begin direct flights in Pokhara-Biratnagar route from February 3. The company will operate three flights — Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays — in this route.
Buddha Air is now operating flights to Pokhara, Biratnagar, Bharatpur, Bhadrapur, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, Surkhet, Janakpur, Simara, Tumlingtar, Rajbiraj and mountain flights in the domestic sector.
It is also operating an international flight from Kathmandu to Varanasi in India.