Pokhara International Airport is set to have flights to Australia, with China’s Sichuan Airlines preparing to operate the route via Chengdu. The airline has requested permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to commence the service.
According to Gyanendra Bhul, spokesperson for CAAN, informal discussions regarding the Pokhara–Chengdu–Australia flight have already taken place, and the necessary procedures are being completed to grant approval. The airline plans to start the service from September.
“If formal procedures are finalized, the airline will provide a flight schedule soon. This route is expected to make travel to and from Australia more convenient for Nepali passengers,” Bhul said.
Sichuan Airlines previously operated a few charter flights from Pokhara, and the company now intends to launch regular services to Australia. The airline first flew an Airbus A319 to Pokhara on 6 Ashad 2080 BS (June 2023), bringing Chinese participants and tourists for the ‘Nepal–China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival 2023’ at Phewa Lake.
Currently, Himalaya Airlines is the only carrier providing regular flights from Pokhara, but Sichuan Airlines aims to begin its Australia service from September.
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