Businesspersons Unite: Demand for Regular International Flights at GBIA, Protest Ultimatum Issued

Businesspersons have united in a fervent plea to the government for the regular operation of international flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. The airport, which was inaugurated with great anticipation a year and a half ago, is still to witness consistent international flight services.

To highlight their concerns and pressure the authorities into action, the business community has announced a series of protest programs, including relay hunger strikes. The root cause of their agitation is the threat to investments worth billions of rupees, both from the government and the private sector, due to the absence of regular international flights.

Approximately Rs 40 billion has been invested in the construction of the airport, a figure that includes compensation provided to the public during land acquisition. In addition, the private sector has contributed around Rs 80 billion for the development of five-star hotels and other infrastructure in the vicinity. Business leaders are apprehensive that these significant investments are at risk of incurring substantial losses if regular international flights do not commence soon.

Anil Kumar Gyawali, the coordinator of the protest, explained the urgency of their action, saying, “We made efforts in every possible way to establish regular international flights from the airport. However, when our pleas fell on deaf ears, we were left with no choice but to initiate a street protest. We are committed to intensifying our movement until regular flights are conducted here.”

The protest is scheduled to begin with a sit-in at the airport gate, slated for two days. If their demands are not met by the government, starting from December 11, the business community intends to continue the sit-in indefinitely and further disrupt the Belahiya border crossing.

The Gautam Buddha International Airport, inaugurated on May 16, 2022, has struggled to establish a consistent schedule for international flights. Jazeera Airlines, which commenced international flights on the inaugural day, ceased operations shortly after. Similarly, Himalaya Airlines, which initially operated chartered flights, has also discontinued its services. At present, only Nepal Airlines conducts one flight per week from Gautam Buddha International Airport.