Pokhara International Airport ( ne, पोखरा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल) is an
international airport
An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer ...
in
Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
,
Gandaki Province
Gandaki Province ( ne, गण्डकी प्रदेश ) ), is one of the seven federal provinces established by the current constitution of Nepal which was promulgated on 20 September 2015. Pokhara is the province's capital city. It borde ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. It is located east of the old
domestic airport, which it will gradually replace. The airport is Nepal's
third international airport and officially began operations on 1 January 2023, with
STOL
A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh conditio ...
-operations to
Jomsom
Jomsom (), (Ward No. 4 of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality) also known as Dzongsam (New Fort) is the centre of Gharapjhong rural municipality in Mustang district and a former independent village development committee situated at an altitude of ...
still being operated from the old airport. The airport is expected to handle one million passengers per year.
History
The concept of constructing an international airport in Pokhara was first developed in 1971. In 1976, the
Government of Nepal
The Government of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल सरकार) is the federal executive authority of Nepal. Prior to the abolition of the Nepali monarchy in 2006 (became republic in 2008), it was officially known as His Majesty's Government.
T ...
acquired land for that purpose. In 1989, the
Japan International Cooperation Agency
The is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international co ...
conducted a study regarding the construction of the airport. The project stalled, however, and was reinitiated in 2009, when a new
agreement on air travel between
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
was signed. In 2013, the
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN, ne, नेपाल नागरिक उड्डयन प्राधिकरण, translit=Nepāl Nāgarik Uḍḍayan Prādhikaraṇ) is an independent civil aviation regulator. It was establishe ...
signed an agreement wit
China CAMC Engineeringfor the construction of the airport. The construction started in April 2016 and was expected to be completed after five years in 2021, with a cost of around
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
305 million,
out of which
The Export-Import Bank of China
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
provided around US$215 million preferential loan to Nepal and provided part of loan interest to lower the total loan interest. Further, the
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field office ...
provided US$37 million in loans and grants and the
OPEC Fund for International Development
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) is an intergovernmental development finance institution established in 1976 by the member states of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The OPEC Fund was conceived ...
provided a US$11 million loan.
![Construction of Airport Building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Construction_of_Airport_Building.jpg)
![A scene of constructing Pokhara International Airport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/A_scene_of_constructing_Pokhara_International_Airport.jpg)
In April 2016, then
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
KP Sharma Oli
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli ( ne, खड्गप्रसाद शर्मा ओली, ; born 22 February 1952) is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served three terms as prime minister from 11 October 2015 to 3 Augu ...
laid the
foundation stone
The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.
Over time ...
of the airport, with the aim of beginning operations at the airport on 10 July 2021. In 2020, it was proposed to open both new international airports of Nepal, Pokhara and
Gautam Buddha Airport
Gautam Buddha International Airport , also known as Bhairahawa Airport, is an international airport located in Siddharthanagar (formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa) serving Lumbini in Lumbini Province, as well as the Butwal﹣Siddh ...
, on the same day. In 2020, it was revealed that the close-by Rithepani Hill to the eastern end of the runway would needed to be flattened to ease approach to the airport. This decision to was delayed due to severe protesting by locals. The flattening did not start until late 2022.
Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
The COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first case in Nepal was confirmed on 23 January 2020 when a 31-year-old st ...
, in 2021, the construction deadline was extended until 2022. In October 2021, officials confirmed that the airport would open in two steps: domestic flights will begin in January 2022, while international flights will begin in April 2022.
In 2022, it was announced that
calibration flights
In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of know ...
would begin in October 2022. They would later take place in late November 2022.
In mid-2022, the
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN, ne, नेपाल नागरिक उड्डयन प्राधिकरण, translit=Nepāl Nāgarik Uḍḍayan Prādhikaraṇ) is an independent civil aviation regulator. It was establishe ...
pushed back the opening to December 2022 due to a lack of flight inspections. On 8 August 2022, the
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN, ne, नेपाल नागरिक उड्डयन प्राधिकरण, translit=Nepāl Nāgarik Uḍḍayan Prādhikaraṇ) is an independent civil aviation regulator. It was establishe ...
set the official opening date for 1 January 2023.
The airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Pushpa Kamal Dahal ( ne, पुष्पकमल दाहाल; born 11 December 1954), also widely known by his nom de guerre Prachanda (, ; meaning "fierce"), is a Nepalese politician serving as the current Prime Minister of Nepal. He pre ...
on 1 January 2023. To celebrate the occasion, the city of Pokhara declared the day a public holiday. The first flight to arrive at the airport was a
Buddha Air
Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd ( ne, बुद्ध एयर) is an airline based in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal, near Patan. It operates domestic as well as international services within Nepal and India, serving mainly large towns and cities in Nep ...
flight carrying the Prime Minister and his delegation.
Development of the airport continued immediately after the opening with an initial lack of customs facilities and a fuel depot - initially, fuel was being carried from old-
Pokhara Airport
Pokhara Airport is a domestic airport serving Pokhara in Nepal. Following a new agreement on air travel between India and Nepal, Pokhara Airport will be replaced by Nepal's third international airport, Pokhara International Airport in 2023 ...
on trucks.
Facilities
The airport is built to the category 4D standard, set by the
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
,
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff ...
, and
FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
.
Apron
The apron of the airport can handle up to 3
narrowbody aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than in width.
In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with multi ...
with two
aerobridges
A jet bridge (also termed jetway, jetwalk, airgate, gangway, aerobridge/airbridge, skybridge, finger, airtube, expedited suspended passenger entry system (E-SPES), or its official industry name passenger boarding bridge (PBB)) is an enclosed, m ...
, while the aprons at the domestic terminal are capable of accommodating up to four
ATR-72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed by ...
or
Bombardier Q400
The De Havilland Canada DHC-8, commonly known as the Dash 8, is a series of turboprop-powered regional airliners, introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. DHC was later bought by Boeing in 1988, then by Bombardier in 1992; then by ...
type and four
Beechcraft 1900
The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop regional airliner manufactured by Beechcraft. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organizations. With c ...
or
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
type small aircraft.
Runway
The airport has a single long runway with a width of 45 meters. It has an east-west orientation with a 330 m runway strip.
The airport has a concrete runway and has the markings of the centerline, edge, touchdown zone, and the threshold. The taxiway of 1.2km long and 23 m wide, is built from the runway central line on the north side parallel to the runway.
The airside infrastructure works also includes two 182.5m x 23m exit taxiways, access roads, and aerodrome pavement. The runway is capable of handling aircraft such as the
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a series of Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus.
The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air F ...
and the
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington.
Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two un ...
. All international landings and takeoffs will be done using the Eastern part of the runway. Domestic flights and landings will use both Eastern and Western sides.
Aids to Navigation
The airport features a 2,500m²
Air Traffic Control
Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airs ...
(ATC) tower, operations building and an air navigation unit. There are two
non-precision approach
In aviation, an instrument approach or instrument approach procedure (IAP) is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft operating under instrument flight rules from the beginning of the initial approach to a landi ...
es available at the Pokhara Airport;
VHF omnidirectional range
Very high frequency omnirange station (VOR) is a type of short-range radio navigation system for aircraft, enabling aircraft with a receiving unit to determine its position and stay on course by receiving radio signals transmitted by a network ...
along a distance measuring equipment (
VOR/DME
In radio navigation, a VOR/DME is a radio beacon that combines a VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) with a distance-measuring equipment (DME). The VOR allows the receiver to measure its bearing to or from the beacon, while the DME provides the slan ...
) and
Required Area Navigation (RNAV/RNP). The airport is also equipped with a
CAT-I ILS system, which includes equipment such as the localizer and the glide path to help aircraft in navigation. The ATC tower also supports
Wide area multilateration Wide area multilateration (WAM) is a cooperative aircraft surveillance technology based on the same ''time difference of arrival'' principle that is used on an airport surface. WAM is a technique where several ground receiving stations listen to sig ...
(WAM) based surveillance system, the first of its kind in Nepal.
High intensity extended centerline lights are installed at the southern end of the airport to assist with the approach. It is equipped with advanced communication, navigation, and monitoring equipment and a high-end navigational lighting system. A
QNH
The Q-code is a standardised collection of three-letter codes that each start with the letter "Q". It is an operating signal initially developed for commercial radiotelegraph communication and later adopted by other radio services, especially ...
altimeter setting will be made available in approach and landing instructions.
Terminals
There are two public terminals at the airport, one for international traffic and one for domestic traffic. The new airport infrastructure includes a 10,000 square meters international terminal building with a steel roof as well as a 3,500m² customs and cargo building.
The international terminal can handle up to 610 departing passengers per hour. Two terminals, one domestic and one international, will be able to handle one million passengers annually. The 4,000m² domestic terminal is located to the western side of the airport.
Aircraft Maintenance
Buddha Air
Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd ( ne, बुद्ध एयर) is an airline based in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal, near Patan. It operates domestic as well as international services within Nepal and India, serving mainly large towns and cities in Nep ...
plans on constructing a
hangar
A hangar is a building or structure designed to hold aircraft or spacecraft. Hangars are built of metal, wood, or concrete. The word ''hangar'' comes from Middle French ''hanghart'' ("enclosure near a house"), of Germanic origin, from Frankish ...
that can accommodate aircraft up to the size of an
Airbus A319
The Airbus A319 is a member of the Airbus A320 family of short- to medium-range, Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body, commercial passenger Twinjet, twin-engine jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The A319 carries 124 to 156 passengers and has a ...
. The airport will also feature a 6,000m² domestic and international hangar.
Air Routes
There is no direct air route to Pokhara International Airport or
Gautam Buddha International Airport
Gautam Buddha International Airport , also known as Bhairahawa Airport, is an international airport located in Siddharthanagar (formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa) serving Lumbini in Lumbini Province, as well as the Butwal﹣Siddh ...
. Nepal has only one incoming air route through the South via
Simara which is crowded and increases flight times for the remaining international airports in the country. Nepal has asked India since 2014 (or earlier) for new air routes, but has not received them. Even though air routes are governed by the
Freedoms of the air
The freedoms of the air are a set of commercial aviation rights granting a country's airlines the privilege to enter and land in another country's airspace. They were formulated as a result of disagreements over the extent of aviation liberalis ...
commercial aviation rights, India and Nepal are both signatories to it but one of India's reasons is that it involves India's security. Nepal has also proposed Himalaya 1, 2 and 3 air routes. These have not been implemented yet.
Airlines and destinations
In 2018,
Buddha Air
Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd ( ne, बुद्ध एयर) is an airline based in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal, near Patan. It operates domestic as well as international services within Nepal and India, serving mainly large towns and cities in Nep ...
first announced that it was planning to operate its planned international fleet of
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
or
Airbus
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European Multinational corporation, multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace manufacturer, aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft througho ...
aircraft out of the airport. In mid-2021,
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Biman Bangladesh Airlines ( bn, বিমান বাংলাদেশ এয়ারলাইন্স) commonly known as Biman ( bn, বিমান), pronounced (), is the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. With its main hub at Hazra ...
was the first international carrier to plan to serve the airport upon opening. In November 2022, Buddha Air revealed plans to make
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic t ...
the first destination from the airport.
However, as of January 2023, there are no scheduled international flights.
Access
![Sign_board_at_International_Airport_in_Pokhara](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Sign_board_at_International_Airport_in_Pokhara.jpg)
The airport is located linked by an access road with the
Prithvi Highway
The Prithvi Highway () is a highway connecting Naubise of Tribhuvan Highway, 26 km from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and Prithivi Chowk, Pokhara, a tourist city in the western part of Nepal.
History
The construction of the highway star ...
. Buses also connect the airport to Pokhara's city centre.
Gallery
File:Pokhar Intl Airport Front.jpg, Main Terminal and Control Tower
File:Pokhara Intl Airport Terminal Tower Parking.jpg, Main Terminal Parking
File:Fishtail from Pokhara Intl Airport.jpg, Overlooking Mount Fishtail (Machhapuchhre)
File:Annapurna from Pokhara Intl Airport.jpg, Main Office Building
File:Pokhara Intl Airport Parkage with a view of the mountains.jpg, With the Mountain Range
File:Pokhara Intl Airport Access from the North.jpg, Access from the North
File:Pokhara Intl Airport Fire Truck.jpg, Fire Truck
References
{{authority control
Airports in Nepal
National Pride Projects
Buildings and structures in Pokhara
2023 establishments in Nepal