Butwal, April 10
Business associations have announced a series of phase-wise protests demanding regular international flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.
Despite nearly three years since its inauguration, the airport has yet to see regular and sufficient international flights. Entrepreneurs have voiced serious concerns, saying that nearly Rs 100 billion invested in hotel and tourism infrastructure around the airport is now at risk.
Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Siddhartha Network Rupandehi, and the Rupandehi Chamber of Commerce jointly held a press conference in Bhairahawa on Wednesday to announce their protest programs.
A struggle committee has been formed under the coordination of Anil Kumar Gyawali, President of Siddhartha Network Rupandehi, to intensify pressure to fulfill the demands.
In the first phase of the movement, discussions will be held with local representatives, federal and provincial lawmakers, political parties, and airline executives, Gyawali said. Peaceful protests will also be organised in front of the airport, along with ultimatums to the Prime Minister, and Ministers of Tourism, Finance, Labor, and other concerned officials.
He further informed that the protest will include black band demonstrations, peaceful rallies, and market parades.
If demands are not addressed, the second phase will include sit-ins and protest assemblies in front of the airport gate, and even the halting of domestic flights, according to Gyawali.
“We will bar ministers and officials from entering the airport and wave black flags in protest,” he said. “We’ll urge travelers not to book tickets and stage demonstrations to block movement in and out of the airport.”
Gyawali stated that previous protests were called off after the government assured operation of the airport, but those commitments were never fulfilled.
Netra Prasad Acharya, President of the Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, accused the state of using the airport merely as a diversion, rather than operating it fully. He said the upcoming protest will be decisive.
He also urged Siddharthanagar Municipality and all other local bodies in the region to take initiative for the airport’s operation. He blamed federal, provincial, and local governments for failing to cooperate.
Sachin Rokka, Senior Vice President of the Rupandehi Industry and Trade Organization, said repeated protests have been necessary because the government has failed to honour past agreements. He called the situation—where an airport has been built but is not operating—deeply unfortunate.
Chandra Bahadur Thapa, President of the Lumbini Province chapter of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), said the lack of assurance on regular international flights has discouraged investors from putting money into the region.
Business owners are outraged that their investments aimed at tapping the airport’s potential are now at risk of sinking.
In early December, 2024 one Nepali and four foreign airlines—Qatar Airways, Thai AirAsia, FlyDubai, and Jazeera Airways—began flights but later halted services due to issues like poor visibility and lack of passengers.
To address visibility issues, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal implemented RNP AR technology as an alternative to the Instrument Landing System (ILS), and international flights resumed until March 28.
During this period, Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport was closed for a few hours daily for maintenance. Once Tribhuvan resumed 18-hour operations, international flights from Bhairahawa started declining.
Local businesses suspect that influential Kathmandu-based business groups and government officials are deliberately obstructing the airport’s full operation.
They argue that the lack of manpower agencies and mandatory health and labour screening offices in Bhairahawa has given airlines an excuse to cite low passenger demand.
Tour and travel entrepreneur Sanjay Bajimaya said major Kathmandu-based travel agencies have formed a cartel on international ticketing, preventing enough passengers from flying from Bhairahawa. Airlines have not opened contact offices in Bhairahawa, nor have they provided ticketing portals to local agencies, resulting in 95% of tickets being sold from Kathmandu.
Despite repeated appeals to the Chief Minister of Lumbini to break this monopoly, no action has been taken, raising suspicions of collusion between central and provincial governments to sideline the airport, Bajimaya said.
He demanded that all airlines operating from Bhairahawa establish ticket counters and contact offices at the airport, implement online e-visa and international digital direct payment systems, and introduce direct flights from Buddhist-majority countries for the airport’s sustainability.
According to the airport’s spokesperson, Shyam Kishor Sah, Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, and Thai AirAsia have halted flights due to the absence of a finalised summer schedule. Jazeera has promised to resume operations from May.
