Resunga Airport in Gulmi will now operate flights only three times a week. The change was made by Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) on Thursday, revising the previous schedule.
Earlier, NAC operated flights to and from Gulmi four times a week—on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. With the new schedule, flights will now run only on Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday, station chief Suman Thapa confirmed.
The reduction is due to the limited number of aircraft. NAC currently has only three Twin Otter planes, which require periodic maintenance. This has led the corporation to temporarily adjust the regular schedule. Except for disruptions caused by heavy rain, poor weather, or dense fog, regular flights have been operating at Resunga Airport over the past three months.
Flights from Kathmandu to Resunga depart at 6:30 AM, while flights from Resunga to Kathmandu leave at 7:30 AM using the 18-seat Twin Otter aircraft. Ticket fares are NPR 7,500 from Kathmandu to Gulmi and NPR 7,300 from Gulmi to Kathmandu. The flights are scheduled in the morning due to high afternoon wind pressure at the airport, which poses technical challenges.
Since the start of air service, the number of domestic and international tourists visiting the district has increased. Residents who previously had to endure an 18-hour road journey to reach the capital can now travel conveniently by air in just 45 minutes.
Despite the rising demand for air travel, the limited number of flights and frequent schedule changes have caused inconvenience for local residents. Commercial air services in Gulmi began on 29 Baisakh 2080 (mid-April 2023) by Nepal Airlines Corporation.
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