KATHMANDU : Air services at Dhangadhi Airport that had been suspended for nearly six months due to COVID-19 pandemic will resume tomorrow.
Private airline Buddha Air will be resuming its Kathmandu-Dhangadhi-Kathmandu flights, according to Chief at Dhangadhi Airport Office, Tej Bahadur Budhathapa.
All health safety measures will be adopted during the flights to prevent the risk of COVID-19, informed Budhathapa.
Another private airline Summit Air had also operated a chartered Nepalgunj-Bajura-Dhangadhi and Dhangadhi-Bajura-Nepalgunj flight recently. Summit Air is likely to resume its regular operations in the Sudurpaschim State’s district very soon.
The airports in Doti, Baitadi and Bajhang district have already witnessed blacktopping of the runways and are awaiting test flights. Meanwhile, state-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has shut down its office in Dhangadhi. The reason is attributed to the lack of aircrafts, informed NAC Dhangadhi Chief Haridutta Panta.
Prior to the nationwide lockdown on March 24, NAC’s aircraft of MA60 model had operated in this region. The airport in Dhangadhi is among the 10 domestic airports in the country fetching a handsome income. “The airport generally earns Rs 2.5 million to 3 million in a year, but the income has shrunk due to the shutdown of the airport in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.” The airport has recently undergone upgrading.
