On June 24th, at 7:41 AM local time in Nepal, Himalaya Airlines flight H9665 took off from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) and successfully landed at Beijing Daxing International Airport (DAX) at 2:24 PM Beijing time. The return flight, H9666, departed from Daxing Airport at 3:52 PM Beijing time and arrived in Kathmandu at 6:57 PM local time, marking the official resumption of the direct flight between Beijing and Kathmandu.
The direct service between the capitals of China and Nepal had its inaugural flight on October 27th, 2019. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flight operation was temporarily suspended. The flight on the 24th marks its resumption after more than three years.
The Ambassador of Nepal to China, Bhisma Chudal Shrestha, was onboard the flight to Beijing. He congratulated Himalaya Airlines and welcomed Chinese guests to visit Nepal for tourism and business.
Andy Yu, the General Manager of Himalaya Airlines China, emphasized the significance of resuming the Beijing-Kathmandu route. He stated,
“This is the only direct flight route between the capitals of the two countries and it serves as an air bridge connecting northern China to Nepal. The resumption of this route will greatly facilitate economic, trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between the two nations.” Currently, there is one round-trip flight per week on the Beijing-Kathmandu direct route.
In October 2019, Himalaya Airlines inaugurated its first flight from Beijing to Kathmandu, which required a detour through Southeast Asia, resulting in a flight duration of six hours. With the resumption of the route, the new flight time has been shortened to five hours, providing passengers with a more convenient and comfortable travel experience.
It is reported that, following the resumption of the Beijing route, Himalaya Airlines plans to restore or introduce several other routes in China, including Kathmandu to Shanghai, Qingdao, and other cities.
Himalaya Airlines is the first joint venture airline established overseas by a Chinese aviation company. It is the largest foreign direct investment project in the civil aviation field in Nepal and the largest overseas investment project in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
First Chinese direct flight to Pokhara
On June 21st at 9:06 AM local time, a direct flight from Chengdu to Pokhara operated by Sichuan Airlines successfully landed at Pokhara International Airport.
The flight marks the first international flight at the newly established Pokhara International Airport and also the first direct flight from China to a city in Nepal other than Kathmandu.
The flight was operated by an Airbus A319 aircraft and carried 135 passengers, including dragon boat athletes. It is reported that the Chengdu- Pokhara flight by Sichuan Airlines is also part of the schedule for the upcoming South Asian Dragon Boat Friendship Tournament in Pokhara.
Pokhara Airport has been in official operation since January 1st, 2023. It was mainly constructed by a Chinese company, and is the third international airport in Nepal.
The successful operation of the direct flight between China and Nepal has fulfilled the dreams of Nepali people, especially residents of the western provinces, to take international flights from Pokhara.
The Nepalese government expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese companies involved in the construction of Pokhara International Airport, as well as to various organizations, institutions, and Nepalese travel media for actively promoting the direct charter flight between Chengdu and Pokhara.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal stated that the next step would be to promote further the regular operation of direct flights between China and Nepal at Pokhara Airport.