Seventy four years after the operation of Tribhuwan International Aiport (TIA) first international airport in Kathmandu, Nepal opens second international airport today. After the operation of the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Nepal’s national pride project, the country has now two international airports reports RSS.

The domestic flights have been started from the new runway from today itself. The private sector airlines company, Yeti Airlines, conducted the first flight from the new runway, the Airport Office said. Other private airlines as Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines, Saurya Airlines have been operating flights from here. The international airlines planes can land at the GBIA when the Kathmandu airport is closed or in any other emergency situations.

This is the second international airport in the country after the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the regulatory body, Engineer Pradip Adhikari informed that the new runway of the GBIA has formally come into operation.

The Director General said that the 1,500 metres long old runway has been closed and the new 3,500 metres runway has become operational. Although the runway has come into operation from today at the Gautam Buddha International Airport, the international flights would however be started from May 16, on the day of Buddha Jayanti or the birth anniversary of the Buddha.

The Jazeera Air has made all the preparations for operating international flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. Jazeera Air has so far taken official permission for operating flights from this airport.

CIAA stated that GBIA would be operated at the same capacity as the TIA.