Buddha Air, one of the leading domestic airlines in the country, is expanding its wings to international skies with its maiden international flight to Paro in Bhutan from August 23. The airline will initially operate four flights a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday using an 18-seater Beech 1900D aircraft. Buddha Air plans to gradually increase the frequency to seven flights a week. The existing Air Service Agreement between Nepal and Bhutan allows both sides to have a maximum of seven flights a week between Kathmandu and Paro.
After launching flights to Bhutan, Buddha Air will also start preparations to fly to Indian cities of Patna, Lucknow and Kolkata. The airline is in the process of receiving a letter of designation from India's Ministry of External Affairs. The existing Air Service Agreement between Nepal and India allows Nepali airlines to operate flights to 26 destinations in India.
