The expansion of road networks in the Karnali region has led to a fall in passenger and cargo movement from Surkhet. Many of the private airlines are reported to be scouting for new destinations now. Most of the food shipments, rescue operations and transportation of supplies to the high and remote areas of the Western Region now use surface transportation.

Over a dozen private aircraft and choppers used to be stationed in Nepalgunj, Surkhet and Birendranagar to provide services. Surkhet Airport was considered a lucrative station among them.

But things have changed now, thanks to the Dev of the road network in the Karnali region. According to airport authorities, the airport is deserted most of the time, while some of the airlines offices have also been closed. Station manager of Makalu Air at Surkhet Pawan Thapa said they conducted just a single flight on Monday. According to him, they used to operate up to six flights daily a few years ago.

“In the past, Surkhet Airport used to be one of the busiest airports. However, nowadays we have to wait for at least three days to manage an adequate number of passengers and cargo to fly to remote mountain districts.”

The fall in their business has led most of the companies to move their operations to the Eastern Region where they have been targeting tourists. “We don’t have any cargo business in Humla and Dolpa districts, even though these areas lack a road network. We could hardly manage the operating costs while conducting passenger flights to Simikot, Humla.”

Many traders have started using roads to ferry essential goods and construction materials to the remote districts. Kamal Gautam, an official of Simrik Air, said air travel demand had dropped sharply due to the expansion of the road network. Chhabi Singh Thakulla, air traffic controller at Surkhet Airport, said daily flight movement from the airport had dropped to 10 from 50 in past years. “The Surkhet-Karnali route is no more a lucrative sector now.”

Currently, Makalu Air, Air Kasthamandap and Goma Air are conducting flights in the region. However, they barely get business on a regular basis.