Kathmandu: Starting from Sunday, flights from Manthali Airport in Ramechhap district to Lukla have commenced. Three airlines, Tara Air, Summit Air, and Sita Air, are now offering flights from Manthali Airport to Lukla, primarily to accommodate foreign tourists.

This new flight route has been introduced to alleviate the intense air traffic at Kathmandu Airport, especially during the tourist season. Currently, these airlines transport tourists from Kathmandu to Manthali by bus and then continue the journey to Lukla by plane.

With the onset of the tourist season, it is expected that these airlines will operate more flights, provided that weather conditions remain favorable. Notably, Manthali Airport, in addition to its proximity to Kathmandu, offers refueling services and serves as an emergency landing site for aircraft in the eastern region of Nepal.