Tara Air has stopped regular flights from Surkhet to Mugu, Humla, and Jumla due to continuous financial losses. The airline stated that it could not sustain operations as every flight was running at a loss.
The air service was launched on December 4, 2024, by Suresh Adhikari, Karnali Province’s Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forests, and Environment. However, it has now been discontinued.
Lack of Support and Losses Led to Shutdown
Himali Tour & Travels operated flights to these three districts through Tara Air. However, the travel company claimed that the Karnali provincial government did not provide the necessary support. As a result, it had to shut down the service due to heavy losses.
Min Bahadur Rawal from Himali Tour & Travels stated that they had initially planned to operate two flights a week. However, without financial backing, they had no choice but to stop the service.
Passengers Now Dependent on Nepalgunj Airport
With the suspension of flights from Surkhet, people traveling to Karnali’s remote districts must now rely on Nepalgunj Airport in Banke. Airlines such as Tara, Summit, and Goma Air are operating flights from Nepalgunj to Humla, Jumla, Mugu, and Dolpa.
Meanwhile, Nepal Airlines, a government-owned carrier, does not operate from Surkhet Airport, nor does it have an office in Karnali. Passengers have expressed concerns that they now have to use Nepalgunj Airport in Lumbini Province instead of Surkhet, which is closer to Karnali’s mountainous districts.
