Nepal inaugurated the opening of its third International Airport in Pokhara, built with Chinese help. The international flights are expected to take off after the second week of February.

The government signed a USD 215.96 million soft loan agreement with China in March 2016 for the construction of the new airport. Its capacity is expected to be 1 million passengers a year.

Pokhara International has a single 2,500m runway and two terminals – a 10,000-sq-m building for international flights and a 4,000-sq-m one for domestic services.

The airport should serve passengers in South Asia in the first phase and then passengers in Western countries in the second phase.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' last week inaugurated a regional international airport built with Chinese assistance in western Nepal's tourist hub of Pokhara. The international flights are expected to take off after the second week of February. The government signed a USD 215.96 million soft loan agreement with China in March 2016 for the construction of the new airport in lake city.

Pokhara International has a single 2,500m runway and two terminals – a 10,000-sq-m building for international flights and a 4,000-sq-m one for domestic services. Its capacity is expected to be 1 million passengers a year, making it a small airport by international standards.

The airport should serve passengers in South Asia in the first phase and then passengers in Western countries in the second phase. The arrival of tourists in the town would increase significantly with the operation of the international airport.