Kathmandu-Lhasa direct flights proposed

Kathmandu. Nepal has requested the Chinese side to open Kathmandu-Lhasa direct flights.

In the first meeting of the Nepal-China Border Trade Mechanism held in Lhasa, Tibet on March 29, Nepal made such a proposal to the Chinese side.

According to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supply, the air service, which was closed due to Covid-19, was requested to re-operate as it will further expand tourism and trade between the two countries.

The Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry said that the Chinese side was positive about the request to open all trade channels with Nepal according to Chinese policy.

Narayan Prasad Regmi said. “We have requested the Chinese side to resume the air service. They are positive,” added Regmi, “The work of upgrading the airport is going on and the necessary decision will be taken soon according to Nepal’s request.”

As there is no direct flight from Lhasa-Kathmandu, air services are currently being connected to Kathmandu-Chhendu-Lhasa and Lhasa-Chhendu-Kathmandu in a roundabout route. With the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in China, Chinese airline companies stopped flights to various countries from January 2076.

Accordingly, flights to Nepal were also stopped. The route has been closed ever since the government of Nepal started the lockdown in the country.

After Covid-19, airlines have started regular flights connecting Nepal and China in which Air China and Sichuan Airlines have approved the summer schedule connecting Chendu-Kathmandu, China Eastern to Kunming, China Southern to Guangzhou, and Himalaya Airlines to connect Kunming and Beijing to Kathmandu.