Airline -

Buddha Air - one of Nepal’s prominent private carriers - has recently announced plans to boost the number of its flights operated between Kathmandu and Varanasi in India. From September 17, 2024, the airline will increase the frequency of flights on this route and will perform the flight three times a week on Monday, and Friday, as well as on Wednesday. This decision has been propelled by the increase in demand from pilgrims and other tourists.Launched in 1997, Buddha Air today constitutes a significant part of Nepali airlines specialising in domestic and regional flights. The Kathmandu-Varanasi route is especially important because Varanasi itself is an important religious city from the point of view of Hindu Nepalis. Before, Buddha Air provided two flights per week on this route which is now not enough because of the increasing population of tourists. Details of the Announcement From September 17, 2024, Buddha Air has initiated flights between Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport and Varanasi on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This increase comes at the right time where religious travel is common during the festival seasons of Vijaya Dashami and Deepawali. This has been prepared to try and cover the higher passenger traffic anticipated during these festive seasons. Impact on Passengers Since the availability of flight connections is currently one of the major challenges for travelling between Kathmandu and Varanasi, the enlargement of Buddha Air flights proposed in the table is expected to greatly improve the comfort and convenience of passengers, especially in terms of the tourist and festival seasons. This change of increasing the flight frequency to three makes the timetable more flexible thereby reducing congestion in current flights. This will reduce overcrowding especially if there is an increase in the number of pilgrims visiting sacred places such as Varanasi and Gaya for rites such as Sohra Shraddha in Pitru Paksha. Regarding the timing of the expansion, it is correct as it is done during festivals such as Vijaya Dashami and Deepawali, during which people often prefer to travel.Also, the collaboration with Buddha Holidays to bring in special package deals for pilgrimage sites such as Sarnath and Ayodhya is another strength that creates value for the tourism companies and makes it convenient for tourists. This new offering implies enhanced un-congested mobility thus providing enhanced accessibility for religious/cultural tourism. Strategic Importance the decision of Buddha Air to launch more flights on the Kathmandu - Varanasi route is the intended approach aimed at increasing the company’s market share and meeting the growing demand for flights between these two places. With the addition of new flights, Buddha Air aims to enhance customers’ experience and satisfaction while boosting tourism and related industries in both Nepal and India, especially in the religious city of Varanasi.Its strategic plan also aims at increasing its market share which increased to 67% during the FY 2023-24 due to the new routes established together with increased frequencies. Also, Buddha Air has proved its financial strength highlighted by revenue of NPR 3.83 billion in such a short period of six months has helped it to look for more means to finance new projects including acquiring large loans. This is an indication of the airline’s unwavering expansion strategy and the desire to adapt to the ever-changing consumer need. Future Prospects As for Buddha Air company’s strategy, the future prospects are the strengthening of the flight connections between Nepal and several large Indian cities, aiming at driving inbound tourism in South Asia. Presently Buddha Air has planned for further growth in the existing flight services; they have planned for new flight services between Janakpur and Ayodhya, Kathmandu and Pakyong etc. This extension will improve the flow of tourists from India to Nepal for religious tourism and adventure tourism from a broader perspective of the demographic.Besides these routes, Buddha Air is also targeting international connectivity from Pokhara, where it plans to connect to New Delhi, Bangkok, and Guangzhou in the future. It is estimated that this expansion will transport millions of passengers per year and enhance tourism relations between Nepal and other countries.With Buddha Air expanding its fleet and acquiring more flight authorities, there is potential for an increased number of Foreign Direct Investment and tourism activities between Nepal and India. This airline will also be able to play a significant role in the development of the travel network within the region. in conclusion, Buddha Air’s decision to initiate more flights from Kathmandu to Varanasi is consistent with the growing traffic demand and fosters regional tourism and economic development. Thus, the added Wednesday service enhances the convenience to the customer base, especially during the period when festivals are on, reaffirming the airline’s focus on satisfying the needs of its customers and also, fostering the airline’s purpose of contributing to the regional network and business.