January 17: Buddha Air has announced to operate Kathmandu-Kolkata flights from April 15 later this year. The airline company made such announcement amid a press conference held in the capital on Wednesday, January 16. At present, Buddha Air has been operating Kathmandu-Beneras flights twice a week.

Buddha Air’s Managing Director Birendra Bahadur Basnet said that the company decided to operate flights to a new international destination due to the success in its first destination outside Nepal.

“We have decided to expand our operation due to the success of the Kathmandu-Beneras flights,” he said.

Basnet said that the company has already established itself in the domestic market while it has prepared the ground operation and engineering crew as well as hangar and other necessary infrastructure to operate international flights. He further said that the company has obtained license to operate international flights and is currently in testing phase for new international destinations.

Buddha Air said that it will use the ATR-72 for international test flights.