Pokhara International Airport


Pokhara Regional International Airport is an under-construction airport in Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh of Nepal. It is located east from the existing domestic airport, at Majheri Patan. The construction of the airport started in April 2016 and is expected to be completed after five years in 2021 with a cost of around US$305 million. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation awarded the contract to construct and develop the airport to China CAMC Engineering. The airport is expected to handle one million passengers per year.

Development

The idea of constructing an international airport in Pokhara was first developed in 1976, when the Government of Nepal acquired land for constructing the airport. In 1989, the Japan International Cooperation Agency conducted a study regarding the construction of the airport. However, the project was reinitiated only in 2013 and one year later, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal signed an agreement with China CAMC Engineering for the construction of the airport. In April 2016, prime minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone of the new airport.

Facilities

When the airport comes into operation, it will have a runway with a parallel taxiway that can accommodate medium range jets like Airbus A320s and Boeing 737/757s. The airport will have a concrete runway and jet bridges. The parking bays will be able to handle up to five narrow-body aircraft. Two terminals, one domestic and one international, will be able to handle one million passengers annually. The airport will have a long and wide taxi-way which connects the runway with hangars, terminals and parking bays. The airport will have a international terminal building and a domestic terminal building.

Aircraft maintenance

is planning to construct a hangar that can accommodate aircraft up to the size of an Airbus A319.

Expected airlines and destinations

is planning to operate its planned international fleet of Boeing or Airbus aircraft out of Pokhara International Airport.