Jumla-Surkhet flight transforms Karnali life

By Netra Shahi,Jumla, Dec. 18: Following federalisation, Birendranagar in Surkhet was established as the capital of Karnali Province. Administratively, residents of Jumla regularly travel to Surkhet via the Karnali Highway. 

However, air travellers were previously forced to transit through Nepalgunj in Lumbini Province before reaching the provincial capital.

This inconvenience has now been removed. Passengers flying between Jumla and Surkhet no longer need to travel via another province to board a flight. Since the launch of the Jumla–Surkhet air service last July, air travel has become significantly easier for service recipients.

According to Pradeep Aryal, Chief of Jumla Airport under the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Nepal Airlines began operating Jumla–Surkhet flights in July, 2025. On the first day of operation, three passengers travelled from Surkhet to Jumla. Regular flights are now in operation. Although one or two flights have been cancelled since October due to adverse weather conditions, services have continued on all other weeks.

Aryal said Nepal Airlines currently operates Nepalgunj–Jumla–Surkhet flights every Sunday. Most passengers travelling for official work in Surkhet are commuting to and from the provincial capital, making the service highly convenient.

Dhan Prasad Pandey, who travelled to Surkhet on Sunday, expressed his satisfaction at being able to board a Nepal Airlines flight directly. He said he had returned from work and was concerned about travelling due to illness. Pandey added that he travelled to Surkhet to complete documentation related to his pension. With the new service, people like him no longer need to travel via Nepalgunj and can reach Surkhet directly by air.

Nepal Airlines Jumla Chief Umakanta Adhikari said that passengers travelling to Surkhet last Sunday for medical treatment included Dhankrishna Pandey, Kishwari Basanti Budha (a differently able person), Kalpana Mahatara, Satal Singh Thami, Jayapuri Thami, Belmati KC, Motimaya Mahat, Goila Bhandari, Laxiram Bhandari, Rishikesh Upadhyay, Gyanendra Thapa and Dhan Prasad Pandey. He confirmed that regular Jumla–Surkhet flights are now operated every Sunday, while Nepal Airlines also operates regular flights to Nepalgunj on Sundays and Mondays.

Adhikari said Nepal Airlines is currently offering discounted fares to senior citizens, students and people with disabilities. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities receive a 50 per cent discount, students under the age of 25 receive a 25 per cent discount, and children under 11 are also eligible for a 25 per cent discount. Discounts are available to holders of disability identity cards in categories A, B and C.

According to Nepal Airlines, the airfare from Surkhet to Jumla is Rs. 5,180, while the Jumla–Nepalgunj fare is Rs. 6,876. The Surkhet flight has not only eased access to the provincial capital but has also made travel more affordable, particularly for senior citizens and differently abled people.

A few years ago, Sita Air launched Surkhet–Jumla flights, but the service was discontinued. Since then, there has been a growing demand for Nepal Airlines and other carriers to operate on the route. District Coordination Committee Jumla Chief Gaurinanda Acharya said the service became possible following an initiative taken during the tenure of then Chief Minister Rajkumar Sharma. He added that the service would become even more convenient if other airlines operated flights at similar fares.

Currently, Nepal Airlines operates a 19-seat aircraft on the route. However, due to fuel load requirements, only 16 seats are available for passengers. According to the Civil Aviation Office in Jumla, one seat is reserved for a technical staff member, leaving 15 seats available for passengers.