Not just Lukla and Kathmandu: A look at the main airports of Nepal

Tribhuvan International Airport – the aerial entrance to Nepal – was inaugurated by King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah in 1955 and was later named in honor of his beloved father, the late King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah. This airport, which was initially dubbed to a cow’s grazing field – “Gauchar”, sees international flights from carriers such as Air China, Fly Dubai, China Eastern among others.  For a major part of the country’s history, it was the only international airport in Nepal. 

Lukla Airport, located in the Solukhumbu district, is known as the busiest small airport in the region and has been nicknamed as the most dangerous airport in the world.  From 2016-2020, 19,688 aircraft flew to and from Lukla, which serves as a popular gateway to Mount Everest. 

However, besides Lukla and Tribhuvan International Airport, there are many other airports in Nepal. For instance, Pokhara International Airport is well-known in the hilly region, while Gautam Buddha International Airport is prominent in the Terai region. It may lead one to wonder whether these are the only airports in Nepal’s mountainous, hilly, and Terai regions, or if there are more that are lesser-known. In this article, we will explore some of these airports.

Nepal’s main airports in mountainous regions of Nepal 

In the mountain regions of Nepal, flights are conducted with aircraft that are dept at Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) operations. Weather conditions play a vital role in mountain flights, so flights are usually scheduled for early in the morning when the weather tends to be more favorable. Primarily, four aircraft have been deployed for air operations in the mountains of the nation: 

• Dornier Do-228
• De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
• Let L-410 Turbolet 
• Harbin Y-12

The Hardin Y-12 used to be operated by the flag carrier of Nepal, Nepal Airlines. Dornier Do-228 is a part of Sita Air’s fleet while the DHC and the Let 410 are a part of Tara Air and Summit Air’s fleet respectively. Let’s now look at the airports in the mountainous regions of Nepal

Simikot Airport 

Simikot Airport is located in the rural municipality of the Humla district in Karnali Province, Nepal. It is an entry point to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake. At 2,818 meters ASL, Simikot Airport is a boon to the region due to the lack of road connections for local transportation.

Despite its importance in the region, inclement weather in Simikot often leads to flight disruptions. For example, on August 26, 2023, flights resumed after being canceled for five days due to light fog and heavy rainfall. Ten days before the resumption of flights, four children under the age of two who needed medical attention lost their lives because they couldn’t be transported to a district with better healthcare facilities. 

Year of Start of Operation	18 March, 1977
Runway Dimension	650 m x 20 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1215LT  0630LT-1215LT

Simikot, being a small STOL field doesn’t hold big capabilities and is devoid of an X-ray facility but it has some limited facilities – some of which are:

• Communication Navigation and surveillance facility. 
• CCTV surveillance system.
• Electro-mechanical facilities like supply conditions and runway end light.
• Rescue and firefighting facilities.

According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, there have been no casualties in operations at Simikot Airport, though there were fatalities in accidents involving aircraft that were headed to Simikot. 

Date of the accident/ incident	Airlines involved	Aircraft	Probable cause of the accident	Number of fatalities
28 November 2017	Tara Air	DHC-6 Twin Otter registered 9N-ABM	A loss of directional control following a burst tire on takeoff	0
3 May 30, 2017	Nepal Army Air Wing	PZL-Mielec M28 Skytruck registered NA-048	“flipped over during a runway excursion accident while landing at Bajura Airport”	1
16 May, 2018	Makalu Air	Cessna 208B Grand Caravan registered 9N-AJU	“ to continue the flight despite unfavorable weather conditions”	2

Jomsom Airport 

Jomsom Airport, located in the Mustang District of Nepal, is situated near the Kali Gandaki River and is surrounded by breathtaking mountain ranges, including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Nilgiri, and several other towering peaks.

Transportation to and from Jomsom is possible via jeeps and buses. Let’s take a closer look at some additional details about Jomsom Airport:

Year of Start of Operation	March, 1976
Runway Dimension	810 m x 20 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1215LT

Jomsom Airport, located in the city area, offers basic passenger facilities such as hotels, restaurants, and internet and TV services. However, unlike other urban areas, it does not have banking or ATM facilities. Such services are still rare in the Mustang region.

Accident history of Jomsom Airport 

According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, there have been a few air accidents on the runway of Jomsom Airport. Let’s take a look at some accidents that have occurred throughout the years : 

Date of the accident/ incident	Airlines involved	Aircraft	Probable cause of the accident	Number of fatalities
22 August 2002	Shangrila Air	DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 registered 9N-AFR	Cloud coverage and heavy rainfall	18
16 May 2013	Nepal Airlines	DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 registered  9N–ABo	inappropriate conduct of STOL procedure and landing technique	0
24 February 2016	Tara Air	Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter 400 registered  9N-AHH	Unfavorable weather and crew repentance of entering the cloud	23
29 May 2022	Shangri-La Air	de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 registered  9N-AET	flight crew’s failure to monitor and maintain the proper course while inadvertently flying	22

Phaplu Airport 

Phaplu Airport is located in Solu Dudhkundi Municipality, Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1. It is near the district headquarters, Salleri, and serves as the gateway to the Khumbu Trekking Route. 

Let’s see more details about Phaplu Airport:  

Year of start of operation	October, 1976
Runway Dimension	530 m x 20 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1215LT0 630LT-1215LT

Phaplu Airport offers passenger facilities including hotels, restaurants, transportation, and banks/ATMs, just like a typical airport. Phaplu Airport, which was constructed at the cost of 87.8 million by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, is the secondary airport of the Everest region. It is one of the four airports in the Everest region – one of them being the forgotten most dangerous airstrip in Mingbo. 

Accident history of Phaplu Airport 

Sir Edmund Hillary’s wife and daughter lost their lives when a plane from Kathmandu headed to Phaplu crashed near the capital of the nation in 1975. The incident highlighted the important role of the “Remove Before Flight” tag in aircraft. 

Date of the accident/ incident	Airlines involved	Aircraft	Probable cause of the accident	Number of fatalities
Monday 19 April 2010	Nepal Airlines	de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300	Failure of landing due to poor weather	0
Saturday 31 May 1997	Royal Nepal Airlines	de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300	bounced following a hard landing at Phaplu Airport	0

Dolpa Airport 

Dolpa (Juphal) Airport is located in Juphal Municipality, Dolpa District, within Karnali Province. This airport serves as the gateway to Shey-Phoksundo National Park, which is known for its stunning Phoksundo Lake, a major attraction for visitors.Additionally, the airport provides access to the Upper Dolpa Trek, a popular destination for tourists. 

Let’s see more details about Dolpa Airport:                            

Year of Start of Operation	1975
Runway Dimension	560 m x 20 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1215LT   0630LT-1215LT

Main airports in the hilly region of Nepal 

In the airports in the hilly region of Nepal airports, specialized facilities for safe operations are present. These facilities include:

• Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance Systems (CNS) 
• Security and Facilitation services
• Meteorological Services and Electrical Facilities 
• Rescue and Fire Fighting Services

Let’s learn more about the airports in the hilly regions of Nepal.

Pokhara International Airport 

Pokhara Airport, located in the Kaski district, is considered the third international airport in Nepal. The Pokhara Airport was inaugurated on January 1, 2023, and it was expected that the airport would not only make life easier for residents but also boost tourism and the economy. The runway of Pokhara International Airport is classified as ICAO Category 4D and has a width of 45 meters and a length of 2,500 meters. 

Year of Start of Operation	04 July 1958
Runway Dimension	1447 m x 30 m
Operation hours	0600LT-1845LT  0630LT-1800LT

Despite the gorgeousness of its location, this airport which was expected to handle one million passengers annually, has not performed as highly as it was hoped to. Some of the reasons behind its lackluster functioning include:

• Governmental delay due to the consumption of a lot of time on finalizing actual agendas 
• Corruption
• Failure to attract international flights
• Lack of proper construction

The total cost of the airport construction is $76.1 million, excluding land acquisition, with the budget being managed in the following way:

• $37 million in loans and grants from the Asian Development Bank 
• $11 million in loans from the OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) Fund for International Development 
• the rest from the government.

 Lekh Nath Dahal, a member of the sub-panel formed to probe the construction of Pokhara airport, said that there were “several irregularities during the construction”, and corruption during the airport’s construction have surfaced.  

Accident history of Pokhara International Airport 

Let’s take a look at some accidents that occurred around Pokhara Airport: 

Date of the accident	Airlines involved	Aircraft	Probable cause of the accident	Number of fatalities
January 15, 2023	Yeti Airlines	ATR72/212A version 500	inadvertent movement of both condition levers.	68
July 24, 2024	Saurya Airlines	CRJ 200LR	Sank 130 feet in 4 seconds  and caught fire	18

Ramechhap Airport 

Ramechhap Airport is located in Manthali Municipality within the Ramechhap District of Bagmati Province, situated along the banks of the Tamakoshi River. The airport is conveniently close to Manthali, the district headquarters. During the tourist season, the majority of flights operate from this airport to Lukla and Phaplu Airport.

Let’s look more deeply through the table: 

Year of Start of Operation	October, 1979
Runway dimension	530 m x 20 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1215LT  0630LT-1215LT

The accident that took place at Ramechhap Airport are :                

Date of the Accident	Airlines involved	Aircraft	Probable cause of the accident	Number of fatalities
April 22,2019	Tara Airlines	Dornier Do228	Due to the deflation of front-tier	0

Main airports in the terai regions 

Most airports in the Terai region are equipped with essential facilities including Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance Systems, security features like X-ray machines, metal detectors, and CCTV surveillance. They also have meteorological services, electro-mechanical facilities such as power supply, lighting systems (Approach Light, PAPI, Runway Lights), and backup power sources (solar, inverters, and generators). Additionally, Rescue and Fire Fighting Services are available to ensure safety. Let’s see more about the airports of the Terai regions 

Gautam Buddha International Airport 

Gautam Buddha International Airport is a major international gateway in Siddhartha Nagar Municipality, Rupandehi District, Lumbini Province. This airport is Nepal’s second international airport, following Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

Below here is a brief overview of Gautam Buddha Airport:

Year of Start of Operation	08 July, 1958
Runway Dimension	1500 m x 30 m (upgrading to 3000m x 45 m)
Operation Hours	0600LT-1845LT  0630LT-1800LT

The Gautam Buddha International Airport, located 19 km from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lumbini, was expected to attract tourists and boost economic growth. However, it has fallen far short of these expectations. According to a report published in July in the Kathmandu Post, the airport has become a significant challenge for international airlines. 

So far, only Kuwait Airways and Malaysia Airlines have been willing to operate flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport. Additionally, the cost of landing and parking, along with high jet fuel prices in Nepal, has contributed to the airport’s underperformance, preventing it from meeting its anticipated potential.

 Biratnagar Airport 

Biratnagar Airport which is in Biratnagar Bazaar, Morang District of Province No. 1 serves as a hub airport. This airport is the first certified aerodrome among domestic hub airports in Nepal, and the second after Tribhuvan International Airport. This airport is recognized as the second busiest domestic airport in terms of passenger movement, following Pokhara Airport.

Let’s know more details about Biratnagar Airport 

Year of Start of Operation	6 July, 1958
Parking Capacity	4, ATR72 Type Aircraft  1, DHC6 Type Aircraft
Runway Dimension	1500 m x 30 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1845LT  0630LT-1800LT

Biratnagar Airport was planned to be upgraded to an international level. On September 5, 2020, Biratnagar Metropolitan City, the state government, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) reached an agreement to upgrade the airport. However, progress on the airport expansion has stalled because the relevant authorities have not requested funding from the government.

Dhangadhi Airport

Dhangadhi Airport is located in the Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City of Kailali District, in the Sudur-Paschim Province of Nepal. This airport has direct flights to Kathmandu, Doti, Baitadi, Bajhang, and Safebagar.

Let’s see more details about the Dhangadhi Airport: 

Year of Start of Operation	26 December, 1964
Land	Approx. 301246.94 m2
Runway Dimension	1800 m x 30 m
Operation Hours	1000 LT-1600 LT  1000 LT-1700 LT

 Let’s see some of the accidents that took place over the Dhangadhi Airport : 

Date of the Accidents	Airlines involved	Aircraft	Number of fatalities
Thursday 27 July 2000	Royal Nepal airlines	de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300	25
Monday 30 December 1985	Nepal Army Air Wing	Shorts SC.7 Skyvan 3-100	25

Janakpur Airport 

Janakpur Airport is located in Janakpurdham Sub Metropolitan City, which is part of Dhanusha District in Province No. 2. Janakpurdham is a significant historical, religious, and cultural tourist destination, known for its association with King Janak, the birthplace of Goddess Sita, and the presence of the Ram Janaki Temple. The city is also famous for Ganga Sagar, and Mithila culture, and is often referred to as the “City of Ponds” in Nepal.

Let’s see more details in the table : 

Year of Start of Operation	13 February, 1960
Elevation	71 m./233 ft.
Runway Dimension	1306 m x 30 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1845LT 16th  0630LT-1800LT

Bhadrapur Airport

Bhadrapur Airport is also known by the name Chandragadhi Airport. This airport is located in Bhadrapur Municipality, Jhapa District, Province No. 1. Due to its proximity to the eastern border of Nepal, it holds significance as a domestic destination for travelers from the northeastern states of India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. In recent years, the airport has experienced rapid growth in air traffic, as indicated by the records. 

Let’s see some more details about Bhadrapur Airport: 

Year of Start of Operation	November, 1963
Type of Traffic Permitted	Instrument Flight Rule (RNP Approach) + Visual Flight Rule (VFR)
Runway Dimension	1500 m x 30 m
Operation Hours	0600LT-1845LT  0630LT-1800LT