Sikkim: Kathmandu to Pakyong flights soon, Buddha Air explores feasibility

A team from Buddha Air visited Pakyong Airport to conduct a feasibility study for launching flight operations between Kathmandu and Pakyong. 

The visit included a presentation by the Air Traffic Controller and an airport tour led by Airport Director S.K. Singh. 

The three-member team from Buddha Air included Uday Krishna Shrestha, Om Pradhananga, and Jiwan Basnett.

Buddha Air plans to operate two daily flights: one from Kathmandu to Pakyong and another from Kathmandu to Pakyong via Guwahati. 

The flight from Kathmandu to Pakyong will take about one hour, while the flight from Pakyong to Guwahati will take around 35 minutes. 

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As per reports, the proposed fare for Kathmandu to Pakyong is expected to be between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 7,000, but Singh has requested Buddha Air to reduce it to Rs. 5,000-6,000.

The airline is confident there will be enough passengers on these routes. Buddha Air is already operating flights from Kathmandu to Varanasi and is seeking permission for a new route from Janakpur to Ayodhya. 

The tentative timing for the new flights is between 12 noon and 1:30 pm. The flights will use ATR 500 aircraft which can accommodate 85-90 passengers.