Pokhara airport
| Pokhara airport | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Characteristics | |
| ICAO code | VNPK |
| IATA code | PKR |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 827 m (2713 ft ) |
| Basic data | |
| opening | 4th July 1958 |
| Start-and runway | |
| 04/22 | 1439 m × 30 m asphalt |
The Pokhara Airport ( IATA code : PKR; ICAO code : VNPK) is a regional airport in Pokhara ( Nepal ).
He has regular flights to Kathmandu , Jomsom and Manang . The flights to Jomsom and Manang can only be carried out in the early morning hours, as the strong winds to and from the Tibet highlands in the Kali Gandaki Valley make landing impossible during the rest of the time. In addition, many flights are canceled in the monsoon months due to the low cloud cover and heavy rainfall. Delays must be expected during this time.
The airport, which opened in 1958, has a concrete runway (04/22) with a length of 1428 m. A new terminal building was inaugurated in 1997. The urban area of Pokhara has developed around the airfield in recent years. Curiously, the runway runs roughly in a north-south direction, although the Pokhara Valley is more in an east-west direction. This means that both approach and take-off lanes from the nearby mountains are very shortened: the distance to the mountain slopes is only two to three kilometers from the runway ends.
Although there were already plans for a new building, a lot of money was invested in the old airport for a paved runway and a new terminal building in the 1990s.
About three kilometers east of the airport, in the Chhinedanda district, construction work began on a new airport in 2018. The corresponding area has been kept free for this for many years. This new airport is scheduled to open in January 2021 (28th Poush 2077 BS) and replace the old airport. The runway and several shells of the terminal buildings have already been built.
The current and future airport is operated by the state Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Web links
- Official site (English)
- Airport data (English)