Hotels and locals upset as Gautam Buddha Airport has no international flights for months

 


Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa has not seen a single international flight for the past five months, leaving hoteliers, tourism entrepreneurs, and locals deeply frustrated. Billions were invested to make this airport a hub for international travel, but it has failed to live up to expectations.

The airport last had international flights in March 2025, when Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu was under maintenance. During that time, airlines like Nepal Airlines, Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, Thai Air, and Air Asia operated 299 international flights, serving over 15,000 passengers. However, once TIA’s maintenance was completed on March 29, flights stopped in Bhairahawa.

Entrepreneurs accuse the government of ignoring the airport due to pressure from big business groups in Kathmandu. They claim that large Kathmandu-based travel agencies monopolize international ticketing, and airlines have not set up proper offices in Bhairahawa. Tourism operator Chandra Thapa said it is “shameful” that even state-owned Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines don’t operate regular flights there.

Business owners argue that Bhairahawa could attract Buddhist pilgrims if regular flights by airlines like Thai Air and Air Asia were arranged. They propose packages connecting Bhairahawa with Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar. Others have suggested improvements like visa services, digital payment systems, medical centres for migrant workers, and ticket counters inside the airport.

Due to the lack of flights, nearly 100 billion rupees invested in hotels and tourism businesses is now at risk. Many hotel owners are struggling to pay off loans, and some have already sold their properties.

The airport was inaugurated in May 2022 with high hopes of boosting tourism in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. However, with no international arrivals, those hopes have collapsed.

Currently, the airport is staffed with over 140 employees, plus security forces and other government offices, but their roles are limited because no flights are operating.

From 2022 to 2024, the airport handled only 731 international flights and 45,573 passengers, despite having the capacity to manage up to 50 international flights per day and more than 3 million passengers annually.

General Manager Pratap Tiwari confirmed there have been no international flights since April but said Thai Air is preparing to resume two flights a week from October 26. He also stressed that state-owned airlines must dedicate aircraft to Gautam Buddha Airport if it is to survive.

Built as an alternative to overcrowded TIA, the airport was financed with over 6.3 billion rupees from the Asian Development Bank, OPEC, and the Government of Nepal. However, it has faced repeated controversies, including land acquisition disputes and allegations of corruption.

Despite its strategic location just 25 minutes from Lumbini, the airport remains largely unused, leaving locals disheartened and investors worried about losing everything.

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