Review of Buddha Air flight Kathmandu Kathmandu in Economy

Airline Buddha Air
Flight BHA 300
Class Economy
Seat 2D
Aircraft ATR 42-500
Flight time 01:00
Take-off 05 Mar 15, 08:15
Arrival at 05 Mar 15, 09:15
U4 5 reviews
Bargi62
By SILVER 3116
Published on 20th April 2015
French report is here: http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9744.html
Hello English readers
Welcome to the first flight report in the database with views after a TK crash-land on Nepal KTM runway.
It was approximately six weeks before the devastating earthquake.
Routing
1° CDG-DXB:A380 EK Y http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9694.html
2° DXB-KTM:B737-800 FZ Y http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9716.html
3° KTM-KTM:BHA ATR-42 :you are here
4° KTM-DXB:B737-800 FZ B737:http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9773.html
5° DXB-CDG:A380 EK Y:http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9806.html

On Wednesday,March 4 we need to start the journey with a look of a local airline.
Particular flight as it is a domestic overflight of Himalayan region very early on the morning.
Fortunately the weather is superb on Kathmandu valley.
photo L1120896photo L1120898
The transfert to the airport took 15 mn with a local taxi.
photo L113006342

The domestic terminal is under work for expansion but it seems to be long!
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Chek-in hall with many passengers checking in for their flights with lots of baggage but we received our BP quickly at Bhudda Air counter
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Going through the security check to the airside area to the sole departure gate is completed in just a few minutes.
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There's a shop and a restaurant upstairs
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an area for smokers.
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Terminal is not very clean and modern.
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FIDS with local destinations
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Kathmandu airport closed due weather'I'm not sure?
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We were invited to return to landside to refund our ticket or choose to be rebooked on the day following.
I choose second option.
I'm informed by taxi driver:international airport has been closed due to exit of runway of a TX A333 registration TC-JOC
details of the accident are here:http://avherald.com/h'article=482a5e9e

Domestic airport reopen by late afternoon as we walk around Stupa Boudhanath
photo L11207Q30photo L11300V34

Thursday march 5
we are back again very early in the morning to the domestic terminal.
boardind will be by bus on time and it's a good opportunity to spot TK crash from the tarmac
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I do not have any difficulties with agents and the weather is sunny
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our ATR
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the flight is empty and I can choose seat in 1° row
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Everyone has a window seat
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the seat pitch is very decent
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BP and safety card
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Pushback is on time,taxi to runway with views of local aircraft and excellent views of TK in very bad position


Safety instructions by a beautiful PNC
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Take off
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After 20 minute flight over Kathmandu valley we see the mount Everest the roof of the world, known as Sagarmatha by the Nepalese and Chomolungma by the Tibetans.
right next the Lhotse


Just at this moment each passengers were invited to the cockpit and the captain indicate me the peaks


A life-time experience!
back to the green valley of Kathmandu


and we landed at Kathmandu Airport after our spectacular one hour flight
Last view of the cabin and our charming Nepalese PNC
photo L1130004
Last look to the aircraft
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Leaving the domestic terminal we are going to the international airport always closed:all flights are canceled.
photo L1130009photo IMG_0367

So from that time we had to wait 3 days to obtain a rebooking!

Here are a few pictures of Kathmandu and Bakthapur but unfortunately these World Heritage sites, suffered extensive damage in earthquake.


PLEASE: DON'T FORGET THE PEOPLE OF NEPAL!

Thanks for reading
See more

Verdict

Buddha Air

7.5/10
Cabin7.0
Cabin crew9.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering5.0

Kathmandu - KTM

3.5/10
Efficiency5.0
Access3.0
Services3.5
Cleanliness2.5

Kathmandu - KTM

3.1/10
Efficiency5.0
Access2.5
Services2.5
Cleanliness2.5

Conclusion

unforgettable and great flight:nice crew
Domestic airport KTM is a big bazard

Related

5 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 136474 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6744 Comments
    Wow, so you were there the day the TK crash landing happened. And then you obviously got some good shots of the plane when you came back the next day. Thanks so much for sharing that with us! How surreal it must have been. BTW, PNC in English is FA for Flight Attendant :-) It's a good thing you were only taking a sightseeing flight from KTM and didn't get stuck for days trying to get home like so many people. Very nice pics of the mountains and great bonus pics!
    • Comment 316247 by
      Bargi62 SILVER AUTHOR 3586 Comments
      Thank you Kevin,I think next time for FA;)
      I agree with you:I was lucky to see the TK crash lands on runway and to go back home before the earthquake,
      even we waited 3 days for the reopening of KTM international airport.
  • Comment 136490 by
    Rob777ER 42 Comments
    Thank you for sharing such a special flight!
    Great report and some breathtaking photos from Kathmandu and the mountains of course - awesome.
  • Comment 136538 by
    NGO85 SILVER 1986 Comments
    Thank you for translating this FR. What a fascinating experience, and not just the part about witnessing wreckage first-hand. This hard landing does not look as bad as some others, but for TK to call this an incident is an injustice the passengers aboard.

    Terminal is not very clean and modern.
    - LOL, that is an understatement. The airport looks in really bad condition and the fact they made you walk through that construction area with dirt ground is shocking. I would have expected Kathmandu to have a much more first-world airport. I find your cleanliness rating very generous for the airport.

    I love how the destination for your flight is Mountain Buddha Air's hard product probably leaves a lot to be desired, but then again that's not why you were flying them. Not that it matters, but did they even do a drink service? Beautiful pictures of the Himalayas of Everest. That's really cool that they let you go into the cockpit in flight and the pilots pointed out the peaks for you. Once in a lifetime experience. A very beautiful part of the world. I had a friend from college from Nepal, always have had a standing offer to visit, but just have never found the time to go.

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