First 'Pokhara-Chengdu' commercial flight takes place

Basudev Poudel
Chhendu (China), March 19: The commercial charter flight has been operated from Pokhara International Airport to Chhendu in Sichuan Province of China for the first time.    

Two years after the inauguration of the airport, the first commercial charter flight took place from Pokhara to Chengdu on Tuesday.    

The first-ever Pokhara-Chengdu commercial flight was operated under the leadership of Pokhara Tourism Council in collaboration with Pokhara Metropolitan City, Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Sichuan Airlines and Chinese Association in Nepal.    

It may be noted that it was materialized after continuous efforts from different fronts, including private sector for international flights from the Pokhara International Airport.    

Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, Pokhara Tourism Council Chair Taranath Pahari, Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki Province Chief Maniraj Lamichhane, Pokhara Visit Year-2025 Performance Committee Coordinator Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai and a 126-member team of tourism entrepreneurs and media persons have come to Chengdu to promote tourism.    

Nepali Consul General to China Suresh Raut, high-ranking officials of Sichuan Province and representatives of Sichuan Airlines, among others, welcomed the Pokharel team at Chengdu Airport.     

On the occasion, Mayor Acharya said that the first commercial charter flight has been made with the continuous efforts of the Metropolitan City, Pokhara Tourism Council at a time when international flights could not be operated from Pokhara International Airport.    

The Chinese Embassy also held discussions on 'B2B' between tourism entrepreneurs of the two countries regarding tourism development of Pokhara.    
The Pokhara International Airport was inaugurated in 1 January 2023.