Starting Thursday, the Gautam Buddha International Airport has implemented the satellite-based “Required Navigation Performance – Authorization Required” (RNP-AR) system. This system replaces the earlier proposed “Instrument Landing System” (ILS), which could not be introduced due to a lack of approval from India.
The RNP-AR system aims to address visibility issues, especially during the foggy months of November, December, and January, when poor visibility has caused frequent cancellations of both domestic and international flights at the airport.
Previously, under the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), flights required a minimum visibility of 1,800 meters to land. With the new RNP-AR system, flights can operate with a reduced visibility requirement of 900 meters.
Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Thai AirAsia, Fly Dubai, and Jazeera Airways had earlier suspended their operations at the airport due to visibility problems. Qatar Airways stopped flying after November 30, while Fly Dubai resumed operations on January 13, and Jazeera Airways is set to restart flights on February 1. Currently, Nepal Airlines operates flights on the Kathmandu–Bhairahawa–Dubai route four days a week.
According to airport manager Pratap Babu Tiwari, RNP-AR has already been implemented at Tribhuvan International Airport, and it is expected to significantly reduce flight disruptions caused by poor visibility at Gautam Buddha Airport. The system officially came into effect after a 42-day notice period.
However, for foreign airlines to utilize the system, they must first obtain approval from their respective aviation authorities and provide necessary training for their pilots. Additionally, the RNP-AR system is compatible with aircraft like the Airbus A320 and A330 series, which are commonly used for international flights.
Despite this progress, Tiwari noted that it might take time for foreign airlines to complete the required processes and start utilizing the system.
Local businesses in the Bhairahawa area, including hotels and tourism operators, remain frustrated as international flights have been irregular since the airport’s inauguration nearly three years ago. A lack of essential facilities such as labor approval offices, medical centers, visa services, and airline offices in Bhairahawa has forced travelers to rely on Kathmandu, limiting the airport’s passenger base.
Travel agencies in Bhairahawa have also raised concerns about the dominance of Kathmandu-based agencies, which control 95% of ticket sales and hinder the local market. They have called for measures such as setting up airline offices at the airport, enabling online visa services, and establishing international payment systems to support the airport’s sustainable operation.
Additionally, Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Thakur Kumar Shrestha highlighted the need for direct flights from Buddhist-majority countries like China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Japan to fully utilize the airport’s potential.