The initial concept of operating Pokhara and Bhairahawa airports as “fully-fledged” international airports was fundamentally flawed. Even if India had provided air routes, only limited flights from Indian cities would have been possible—but the anticipated surge of international flights was never realistic. As a student of transportation systems, I had raised this issue in various forums even before the airports were constructed. However, the concerned authorities did not take it seriously. There was a widespread misconception that foreign airlines would line up to operate flights simply because of the names “Pokhara” and “Bhairahawa.” This also reveals how weak the understanding of airport planning is within government agencies.
Construction has been completed. The airports are ready for international flights—but the flights are not there. The reason is simple: international aviation operates on its own principles of demand and supply. Just because an airport is built does not mean international flights will automatically rush in. Particularly in developing countries, it is extremely difficult for international airports in small to mid-sized cities outside the capital to become commercially successful.
What is surprising is that a section of society—even the government—still insists on operating these airports at “full capacity,” based on these flawed expectations. In this context, I will use a simple analogy: ignoring market realities, a massive shopping mall is built in a small mountain town, but due to low customer potential, no one comes to open shops. In such a situation, the slogan of “operating the mall at full capacity” becomes meaningless in itself.
Tourism is one of Nepal’s promising sectors. However, to support it, the country needs a full-capacity, international-standard airport serving the capital, Kathmandu (the proposed Nijgadh Airport). We should not expect too much from Bhairahawa and Pokhara, which were built on unrealistic expectations. Over time, some flights may be added, but the likelihood of attracting enough international traffic to operate at “full capacity” is extremely low.
The new government, like previous ones, should not remain entangled in the dream of “full capacity” for Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports. Work on constructing Nijgadh Airport should move forward as soon as possible.
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