Pokhara–Jomsom flights suspended for five months

MUSTANG:- Regular air services on the Pokhara–Jomsom route have been suspended for five months due to the need for routine maintenance on the private airlines’ Twin Otter aircraft and a decline in passenger numbers.

Tara Air—a sister concern of the private carrier Yeti Airlines—and Summit Air, both of which have been operating regular flights from Pokhara to Jomsom, have suspended their services, even during the peak tourist season.

While air services typically operated regularly through the month of Kartik in previous years, this year they have been disrupted due to aircraft malfunctions, routine maintenance, and a high volume of tourists at airports in other Himalayan districts.

Private airlines in Nepal have a limited number of Twin Otter aircraft. Bishwaraj Sharma, the chief of Jomsom Airport, stated that Tara Air and Summit Air have suspended their regular flight services, with the latter’s suspension effective from Monday. “Regular flight schedules have been suspended; there is an instruction to handle flights on a charter basis instead,” said Airport Chief Sharma.

According to Airport Chief Sharma, while there was a high influx of tourists in Lukla and other Himalayan districts, the number of passengers in Mustang dropped during the peak season; this was due to floods and landslides, which inadvertently conveyed a negative message internationally. Furthermore, flight operations are suspended from the month of Asar through Asoj (mid-year) due to poor visibility caused by rain, while from Kartik through Phagun, operations are similarly affected by fog and snowfall.

Regular flights typically operate for only about four months. Most tourists—both Indians and those from third countries—arrive via air travel. Due to factors such as strong winds and adverse weather conditions, the two airlines have been operating a maximum of five flights each per day on the Pokhara–Jomsom route, all scheduled to be completed by 11:00 AM daily.

Tourists frequently arrive at the Muktinath Temple—a religious site in Mustang—by helicopter. For helicopter trips to the Damodar Kunda area, a religious site located in Upper Mustang, it is mandatory for a representative from a security agency to be on board.

In addition to private companies, the Nepal Army also conducts flights—including the transport of its own supplies as well as charter services. A surge in air passenger demand occurs specifically when the Beni-Jomsom road, part of the Kaligandaki Corridor, becomes obstructed. At other times, due to a decline in demand, private airlines often redeploy their aircraft to other routes where there is higher traffic.