Kathmandu: Private airlines operating on the Ramechhap–Kathmandu route have decided to reduce their flights to once a week, down from three weekly flights, citing a decline in passenger numbers.
During the monsoon season, when the BP Highway was frequently closed and major festivals caused travel disruptions, local groups such as the Shantideep Youth Club and Gen Z Group had requested regular flights between Ramechhap and Kathmandu to ease travel for stranded passengers.
Previously, flights from Ramechhap Airport were limited to Lukla in Solukhumbu district. However, following local protests, airlines began operating flights to Kathmandu as well. Three airlines, Summit Air, Sita Air, and Tara Air, had agreed to operate on different days of the week, with Summit Air flying on Wednesdays, Sita Air on Fridays, and Tara Air on Saturdays since mid-September.
According to Shantideep Youth Club Chairperson Suresh Udas, it has now been decided that flights will only operate on Fridays each week. The three airlines, Sita Air, Tara Air, and Summit Air, will take turns operating the Ramechhap–Kathmandu flight on a rotational basis.