Flydubai to Commence Direct Pokhara-Dubai Flights from September 23

Pokhara. Flydubai will commence direct flight services from Pokhara to Dubai from September 23. Direct flights to Dubai, a global air transit hub, will connect Pokhara to the international air network. Despite being operational for three years, regular international flights have not been possible from Pokhara International Airport.

Although Himalaya Airlines first started regular commercial flights from Pokhara to Lhasa in March 2025, the service is currently suspended due to low passenger numbers. The Pokhara-Dubai flight is the second commercial flight to be operated from Pokhara International Airport. Prior to this, charter flights have been operating to various destinations in China, India, and Bhutan.

Jagannath Niroula, General Manager of Pokhara International Airport, stated that Flydubai has already opened ticket bookings after the flight schedule for Dubai-Pokhara-Dubai was approved. "This is an important achievement in expanding Pokhara's international air access, which will directly benefit the entire Gandaki province and the country," he said. "It will add significant convenience for passengers traveling from Pokhara to Europe, America, and other destinations via Dubai, reducing travel time and cost."

General Manager Niroula mentioned that foreign tourists can now come directly to Pokhara, a tourist capital, to visit the city and its surrounding tourist areas. The Pokhara-Dubai flight service is expected to be beneficial for passengers traveling to Arab countries and other nations for foreign employment, study, and tourism.

Dhanraj Acharya, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, stated that flights to Dubai, considered one of the busiest and most important air transit hubs in the world, will establish Pokhara's direct air connectivity internationally. According to him, the Pokhara-Dubai flight service will operate under a strategic codeshare partnership between Flydubai and Emirates Airlines. Mayor Acharya added that passengers traveling from Pokhara to cities in Australia, Europe, or America will be able to travel on a single ticket without any hassle to reach their destination.

He further stated that Emirates Airlines connects over 143 destinations in 76 countries across six continents using Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport as its main hub. General Manager Niroula of Pokhara International Airport said that codeshare partnerships between airlines will facilitate passenger transit. "Passengers traveling from Pokhara to other countries via Dubai can travel on a single ticket, and there will be no hassle of re-tagging luggage," he said. "One aircraft will carry passengers to Dubai, and after transit there, another aircraft will take them to their destination."

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal granted permission to Flydubai for the Pokhara-Dubai flights on June 8. Prior to this, a team from Flydubai had inspected the high-level security, safety, and operational aspects of Pokhara International Airport. This flight permission for Flydubai comes shortly after the government announced diplomatic efforts in the policy and program for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 to attract international air service providers to Pokhara International Airport.

General Manager Niroula of the airport mentioned that Air Arabia has shown interest in starting flight services from Pokhara. "For the sustainability of international flight operations from Pokhara, positive cooperation from the private sector and all other stakeholders is essential," he said. "Regular international flights from Pokhara will greatly support the country's tourism and economy, and general passengers will receive convenient services."

Pokhara International Airport is Nepal's third international air gateway. There have been ongoing calls for regular international flights from Pokhara International Airport to decentralize air traffic concentrated in Kathmandu, promote tourism, and boost economic activities. It is stated that direct air connectivity with Dubai will provide Pokhara access to over 300 cities in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and other regions.

This airport, built with a loan of approximately NPR 22 billion, is currently limited to domestic flights. The airport was inaugurated on January 1, 2023. Domestic airlines are operating flights from Pokhara International Airport to destinations such as the federal capital Kathmandu, Bharatpur, and Bhairahawa.

Although the 50-year-old plan to build an international airport in Pokhara has materialized, the airport has not yet become fully operational. Tourism entrepreneurs, who were hoping for a large influx of foreign tourists after the construction of the international airport, are awaiting regular international flights from the airport.

Naresh Kandel, Chairman of the Federation of Industry and Commerce, Gandaki, stated that the direct Pokhara-Dubai flight will open the door to economic prosperity for Pokhara and the entire Gandaki province. "The number of people traveling from Gandaki province to the Middle East, Europe, and America for employment and study is large," he said. "The Pokhara-Dubai flight will make it easier and cheaper for these passengers to return home, and tourists visiting Pokhara and surrounding destinations can now come directly to Pokhara."