Regular flights on the Pokhara-Jomsom route have been suspended by private carriers Tara Air and Summit Air, leaving Mustang without scheduled air services before the current tourist season has come to an end. According to Vishwaraj Sharma, chief of the Civil Aviation Office in Jomsom, Tara Air halted its regular flights last week, while Summit Air stopped operating on the route from Monday. The two airlines have cited aircraft maintenance and a lack of passengers as the reasons behind the suspension, although charter flights continue to operate between Pokhara and Jomsom. The move affects a key air link into Mustang, where scheduled connectivity has traditionally been concentrated around two tourist seasons each year.
Back-to-Back Halt by Both Carriers
The withdrawal of scheduled services came in quick succession. Tara Air was the first to step back, suspending its regular flights on the Pokhara-Jomsom sector last week. Days later, Summit Air followed, ending its operations on the route from Monday. With both private carriers now off the schedule, travelers currently have no regular flight option between Pokhara and Jomsom.
The confirmation of the twin suspensions came from the Civil Aviation Office in Jomsom, with Sharma stating that Tara Air had halted its regular flights last week and that Summit Air had stopped flying on the route from Monday. The timing of the decisions is significant: the services have been suspended before the current tourist season in Mustang has ended, a period when visitors would ordinarily still be able to book seats on scheduled flights. In practical terms, the route has gone from having two regular operators to none within the space of a few days, as reported by Khabarhub.
Maintenance and Missing Passengers Cited
According to the airlines, two factors lie behind the suspension: aircraft maintenance and a shortage of passengers. The combination points to both operational and commercial pressures. Maintenance requirements have taken aircraft away from the route, while the reported lack of passengers indicates that demand has not been strong enough to sustain regular operations at this stage of the season. Neither carrier has announced when regular flights on the route will resume, leaving travelers planning journeys for the rest of the season without clarity on when scheduled services might return.
The suspension at a glance
- Tara Air suspended its regular Pokhara-Jomsom flights last week.
- Summit Air stopped its flights on the route from Monday.
- The airlines cite aircraft maintenance and a lack of passengers for the suspension.
- Charter flights continue to operate on the route.
- The two carriers have been flying 18-seat aircraft during two seasons each year in Mustang.
Charter Flights Keep the Route Open
Although regular flights have stopped, the Pokhara-Jomsom air link has not shut down entirely. Charter flights continue to operate on the route, providing an alternative for passengers who still need to fly. Unlike scheduled services, however, charters do not run to a fixed timetable and are arranged according to demand, which means travelers cannot simply book a seat on a departing flight as they would under normal circumstances.
The continuation of charter operations ensures that the route remains accessible for those who charter an aircraft. For the remainder of the season, however, the option of a regular, scheduled flight, the most accessible form of air travel on the route for most passengers, remains unavailable until the airlines decide to resume their services.
Seasonal Operations in Mustang and the Road Ahead
Tara Air and Summit Air have been operating 18-seat aircraft on the Pokhara-Jomsom route during two seasons each year in Mustang. That pattern reflects the seasonal character of travel to the district, with scheduled flights concentrated in the periods when tourist movement is at its highest. Against that backdrop, a suspension that takes effect before the season has ended stands out, as it has cut short the scheduled operations that would normally run through the season.
With both carriers off the schedule, attention will now turn to whether and when regular flights return. As reported by Nagarik News and Global Aawaj, the airlines have so far pointed only to maintenance requirements and passenger numbers, leaving the resumption of scheduled services an open question for the remainder of the tourist season in Mustang.
