Buddha Air
{{Short description|Nepalese airline}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Buddha Air
{{lang|ne|बुद्ध एयर}}
| logo = Buddha Air logo.svg
| logo_size = 300px
| alt =
| fleet_size = 18
| destinations = 14
| IATA = U4
| ICAO = BHA
| callsign = BUDDHA AIR
| parent =
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1996}}
| commenced = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1997|10|11}}
| headquarters = Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal
| ceased =
| key_people = * Late Surendra Bahadur Basnet {{small|(founder chairman)}}
- Birendra Bahadur Basnet {{small|(Chairperson)}}
- Astha Basnet Thapa {{small|(executive director)}}
| hubs = Tribhuvan International Airport
| secondary_hubs = Pokhara International Airport
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer = [https://www.buddhaair.com/royal-club Royal Club]
| lounge =
| alliance =
| subsidiaries = [https://holidays.buddhaair.com/ Buddha Holidays]
| num_employees = 1600+{{cite web|title=Company Profile 2018|url=https://www.buddhaair.com/view-media/59|publisher=Buddha Air|access-date=1 April 2018}}
| image = BUDDHA AIR ATR42 9N-AIM LANDING AT POKHARA AIRPORT NEPAL FEB 2013 (8506249089).jpg
| caption = ATR 42 9N-AIM at Pokhara Airport in 2013
| website = {{official URL}}
}}
Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd ({{langx|ne|बुद्ध एयर}}) is an airline based in Lalitpur, Nepal."[https://www.buddhaair.com/destinations Domestic/International]." Buddha Air. Retrieved from website. "The company headquarters is located at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur""[https://www.buddhaair.com/contact-us Contact Information] Buddha Air. Retrieved from Buddha Air website. "Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd Pulchowk Rd Patan" It operates domestic flights within Nepal as well as international services to Varanasi, India, from its main base in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.{{cite web |date=15 October 2013 |title=My Business: Nepalese airline taking off |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-24513257 |accessdate=21 April 2014 |publisher=BBC}}Flight International 27 March 2007 It was the largest domestic carrier in terms of passengers carried in 2023.{{cite web |last1=Prasain |first1=Sangam |title=Domestic air traffic soars, hits a record 4.46m flyers |url=https://kathmandupost.com/money/2023/02/24/domestic-air-traffic-soars-hits-a-record-4-46-million |publisher=The Kathmandu Post |access-date=28 June 2023 |date=24 February 2023}} It is currently on the list of airlines banned in the European Union like all other airlines in Nepal.{{Cite web |title=The EU Air Safety List - European Commission |url=https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/eu-air-safety-list_en |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=transport.ec.europa.eu |language=en}}
History
File:Buddha Air ATRE 42 9N-AIM in Pokhara.jpg at Pokhara Airport]]
The airline was established on 23 April 1996 as a private limited company by Surendra Bahadur Basnet, a retired Supreme Court judge and former government minister; and his son, Birendra Bahadur Basnet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.buddhaair.com/mediacenter/publication |title=Company Profile |publisher=Buddha Air |accessdate=7 May 2014}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/about-us/history-information |title=History |publisher=Buddha Air |accessdate=7 May 2014 }} The name of the airline is derived from the Sanskrit word Buddha, a title used for the much revered Siddhartha Gautama. Operations commenced on 11 October 1997 with a sightseeing flight to Mount Everest using a brand new Beechcraft 1900D. In 2001, the airline partnered with the Bhutanese flag carrier Drukair to charter flights during the peak tourist season.{{cite journal|title = Kuensel Highlights|journal = Spur of the Momo|volume = 8|issue = 1|pages = 4|publisher = Canadian Cooperation Office|date=December 2001|url = http://www.cco.org.bt/newsletter/Spurmomo_dec2001.pdf|accessdate =22 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227062059/http://www.cco.org.bt/newsletter/Spurmomo_dec2001.pdf|archive-date=27 February 2012}} Within ten years, the company had expanded to a fleet of seven 1900Ds.{{cite journal |author= |title=Seven {{sic|nolink=y|Aircrafts}} |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/mediacenter/yatra | journal=Buddha Yatra (Buddha Air Inflight Magazine) |publisher=Buddha Air |date=July 2007 |accessdate=7 May 2014 }} In 2008, a loan from the International Finance Corporation allowed the company to expand further by purchasing two ATR 42 aircraft.{{cite press release |last=Seth |first=Minakshi |date=18 July 2012 |title=IFC Loan to Buddha Air to Improve Air Travel Connectivity in Nepal |url=http://ifcext.ifc.org/ifcext/pressroom/IFCPressRoom.nsf/0/ACE322C5FCCEF32185257A3F0036C299 |location=Kathmandu, Nepal |publisher=International Finance Corporation |accessdate=7 May 2014}} Buddha Air took delivery of its first 72-seat ATR 72 in June 2010.{{cite press release |author= |title=Bigger Aircraft Better Comfort in Nepalese SKY |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/mediacenter/press-release |publisher=Buddha Air}}
International operations
Buddha Air became the first international airline to operate charter flights to Paro Airport in Bhutan in August 2010.[http://www.bbs.com.bt/bbs/?p=838 Buddha Air in service] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415002559/http://www.bbs.com.bt/bbs/?p=838 |date=15 April 2012 }} Bhutan Broadcasting Service, 24 August 2010.
In 2011, Buddha Air began international flights from Pokhara Airport to Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow, India;[https://www.buddhaair.com/destinations "Buddha Air Lucknow flight"] accessed 28 September 2012. however, these flights were discontinued soon after. The airline also announced plans to fly to New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport in the future.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160306055401/http://www.tourennepal.com/news.php?id=30 "Buddha Air plans to start Pokhara-New Delhi flight"]}}, "Tour Nepal", accessed 28 September 2012. Current international operations are limited to seasonal flights to Varanasi.{{Cite web |title=Flights from Kathmandu to Varanasi |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/flight-routes/flights-from-kathmandu-to-varanasi |access-date=11 August 2024 |website=Buddha Air}}
Destinations
Buddha Air flies to the following destinations as of August 2024.{{Cite web |title=Flight Routes |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/flight-routes |access-date=11 August 2024 |website=Buddha Air}}{{cite web|title=Domestic Flights Schedules|url=https://www.buddhaair.com/destinations|publisher=Buddha Air|accessdate=1 October 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/flight-status |title=Domestic Schedule |publisher=Buddha Air}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/flight-status |title=International Schedule |publisher=Buddha Air |accessdate=7 May 2014}}
Buddha Air also operates scheduled mountain sightseeing flights from Kathmandu to Mount Everest range and from Pokhara to the Annapurna Massif. The flights usually depart in the early morning hours and return to the respective airports one hour later.{{cite web |title=Annapurna Experience Mountain Flight |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/mountain-flights/annapurna-experience |publisher=Buddha Air |accessdate=1 October 2018}}[http://www.worldairroutes.com/BuddhaYeti.html World Air Routes] retrieved 18 November 2006
Fleet
=Current fleet=
Buddha Air's fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of August 2024).{{Cite web |title=Our Aircrafts |url=https://www.buddhaair.com/about-us/our-aircrafts |access-date=11 August 2024 |website=Buddha Air}}{{cite web |title=Buddha Airlines brings new ATR aircraft |url=https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/buddha-airlines-brings-new-atr-aircraft/ |publisher=República |access-date=29 April 2023}} The airline plans to add three Airbus A320 aircraft.{{cite web|url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/60441-nepals-buddha-air-settles-on-airbus-for-intl-ops|title=Buddha Air settles on Airbus for int'l ops|publisher=ch-aviation|access-date=31 August 2019}}
| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center"
|+Buddha Air fleet |
| style="background:#02284F;color:#D19B2E;"
! rowspan="2" |Aircraft ! rowspan="2" |In fleet ! colspan="3" |Passengers |
| style="background:#02284F;color:#D19B2E;"
!C !Y !Total |
| ATR 42–300
१६ वर्षअघि बुद्धले ल्याएको त्यो जहाज, अब उड्ने छैन आकाशमा, यसरी गरिँदैछ बिदाई उडान|url=https://bizmandu.com/content/20240910062311.html |access-date=10 Sep 2024 |publisher=bizmandu.com}} |— |47 |47 |
| ATR 72–500
|— |72 |72 |
| Total
!18 ! ! ! |
|---|
=Former fleet=
| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center"
|+Buddha Air historic fleet |
| Aircraft
!Introduced !Retired !Notes |
|---|
| Beechcraft 1900C
|2003 |2009 |
| Beechcraft 1900D
|1998 |2023 |
| ATR 42–300
|2008 |2024 |
Hangar
Buddha Air is the first airline in Nepal, and one of few in South Asia, to have a closed-door hangar facility. Built at a cost of US$2.5 million at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Buddha Air also provides aircraft maintenance facilities to other airlines, including the Bangladeshi airline Novoair which sends its ATR aircraft for maintenance at the hangar.{{cite web |last1=Pokhrel |first1=Diwas |title=Maintenance facilities Agreement between Buddha Air and NovoAir at TIA, Nepal |url=https://www.aviationnepal.com/agreement-between-buddha-air-and-novoair-on-tia-nepal/ |publisher=Aviation Nepal |access-date=7 October 2023 |date=26 January 2016}}
Buddha Air is constructing a hangar that will be able to accommodate aircraft up to the size of an Airbus A319 at Pokhara International Airport.{{cite web |title=Buddha Air to build hangar in Pokhara |url=https://www.aviationnepal.com/buddha-air-to-build-hangar-in-pokhara/ |publisher=Aviation Nepal |accessdate=15 May 2019 |date=15 May 2019}}
Accidents and incidents
- On 11 November 2003, a scheduled Buddha Air flight from Kathmandu enroute to Biratnagar mistakenly landed in Bhairahawa Airport, owing to the air traffic and a subsequent slip-up in communication in Kathmandu.{{cite web |last1=Singh Khadka |first1=Navin |title=Winging it |url=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=5502#.YAVa6dhKhPY |publisher=Nepali Times |access-date=1 January 2021 |date=14 November 2003}}
- On 25 September 2011, Buddha Air Flight 103 crashed while attempting to land at Tribhuvan International Airport after a sightseeing flight of the Mount Everest region. All 19 passengers and crew on board the Beechcraft 1900D died.[http://nycaviation.com/2011/09/mount-everest-tour-plane-crashes-in-nepal/ "Mount Everest Tour Plane Crashes in Nepal."] NYCAviation. 25 September 2011[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15051112 "Nepal tourist plane crashes near Kathmandu killing 19"] BBC News. 25 September 2011 Out of the 19 passengers, 10 were Indian nationals, two were US nationals, one was Japanese and six were Nepalese. The crew of three were also Nepalese.
- On 18 December 2020, Buddha Air Flight 505, which took off from Tribhuvan International Airport enroute to Janakpur Airport landed in Pokhara Airport. According to the airline, there was a mix-up due to lapses in communication and failure to follow detailed standard operating procedures.{{cite web|last1=Prasain|first1=Sangam|date=20 December 2020|title=How a Buddha Air plane flew the wrong way and landed 255 kilometres away|url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/12/20/how-a-buddha-air-plane-flew-the-wrong-way-and-landed-255-kilometres-away|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220045225/https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/12/20/how-a-buddha-air-plane-flew-the-wrong-way-and-landed-255-kilometres-away |archive-date=2020-12-20 |access-date=24 December 2020|website=|publisher=The Kathmandu Post}}{{cite web |title=Nepali airline Buddha Air flies passengers to the wrong airport |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/nepal-buddha-airlines-wrong-airport-intl-hnk/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=24 December 2020 |date=23 December 2020}}
- On 16 December 2021, Buddha Air Flight 360, which took off from Bharatpur Airport to Tribhuvan International Airport with 19 passengers and three crew on board, made an emergency landing at Bharatpur Airport when its left engine failed. Passengers were transferred to another flight and flown to Kathmandu.{{Cite web |title=Buddha Air flight makes emergency landing in Bharatpur due to engine failure |url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/buddha-air-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-bharatpur-due-to-engine-failure|website=The Himalayan Times|access-date=17 January 2023 |date=16 December 2021}}
- On 11 July 2024, Buddha Air Flight 805, an ATR 72-500 on a flight from Kathmandu, skidded off the runway as it landed at Gautam Buddha Airport. All 59 passengers and all four crew members were safely evacuated from the aircraft without injuries.{{cite web |title=Plane with 59 passengers skids off runway in Nepal, no injuries reported |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/plane-with-59-passengers-skids-off-runway-in-nepal-no-injuries-reported/articleshow/111683887.cms |website=Times of India |date=12 July 2024 |access-date=30 July 2024}}
Trivia
In 2015, Buddha Air became the shirt sponsor of Biratnagar based football club Morang XI, who played in Nepal's highest football league, the Nepal National League.{{cite web |title=Nepal Police and Morang match end in draw |url=https://kathmandupost.com/sports/2015/10/06/nepal-police-and-morang-match-end-in-draw-with-pictures |publisher=The Kathmandu Post |access-date=12 March 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Buddha Air}}
- {{official website|https://www.buddhaair.com/}}
- [https://sharenewsnepal.com/buddha-air-nepal/ The Journey Of Buddha Air In Nepali Aviation]
{{Portalbar|Nepal|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Nepal}}
Category:Airlines banned in the European Union
Category:Airlines established in 1996