Buddha Air to Resume Kolkata–Kathmandu Flights
After a six-year hiatus, Nepal’s Buddha Air is set to resume commercial flights between Kolkata and Kathmandu by July 2025. With Air India pulling out, Buddha Air sees fresh business potential on this popular cross-border route.
Well, well, well — look who’s decided to flap their wings again! After a rather long tea break (read: six years), Nepal’s very own Buddha Air is all set to make a triumphant return to the Kolkata–Kathmandu skies. One might say they’ve had a bit of a spiritual awakening — or perhaps just spotted a good business opportunity with Air India having packed its bags and sauntered off the route.
Back in 2019, Buddha Air launched not one, not two, but three daily flights between the two cultural cousins — Kolkata and Kathmandu. Sadly, the party was short-lived. Bar ely nine months in, they pulled the plug, citing a humbling ₹10 crore in losses. One can only imagine the boardroom conversations — probably something along the lines of “This isn’t flying.”
Fast-forward to 2025, and the mood seems decidedly more chirpy. Rupesh Shrestha, the marketing supremo of Buddha Air, confirmed they’ve had a change of heart (and hopefully, spreadsheets). Commercial flights between the City of Joy and the Himalayan haven are scheduled to resume by July — that’s if all goes to plan and someone remembers to fuel the planes.
Now, why the sudden change of heart, you ask? Well, as it happens, with Air India recently announcing that it’s stepping away from the same route, Buddha Air reckons the skies are finally looking clear — both figuratively and competitively. Without the aviation giant breathing down their necks, the Nepalese airline sees a healthy chance of turning a tidy profit this time around.
The flight, which takes a rather manageable hour and 25 minutes, is expected to cost somewhere around ₹14,000 one way — a small price to pay for a quick spiritual escape, a momo binge, or simply for those keen on swapping Howrah’s hustle for Himalayan hush.
But wait, there’s more! Buddha Air isn’t just eyeing Kolkata. They’re also setting their sights on other Indian cities like Guwahati and Lucknow. Clearly, someone’s been stocking up on ambition and aviation fuel in equal measure.
All in all, it’s a bit like watching an old friend return from sabbatical — with a new haircut, perhaps a bit of meditation under their belt, and hopefully, a better business plan. Fingers crossed they stay aloft this time.
So, pack your bags, folks — the Annapurnas are calling, and this time, it might just be a smoother ride. Or as they say in these parts, bhalai ko laagi udaan! (a flight for good times).
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