Bhutan: Gelephu domestic airport received its first scheduled flight, yesterday.

More than three years after it was inaugurated, Gelephu domestic airport received its first scheduled flight, yesterday.

The national airline, Drukair, flew seven revenue paying local passengers and four government guests, including the information and communications secretary to Gelephu from Paro. From Gelephu, the airline picked up the information and communications minister and other government officials on its return flight to Paro via Bumthang.

The airline will conduct two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Gelephu.

The promotional fare for Bhutanese is currently Nu 6,000 for a return ticket to Gelephu, and Nu 3,500 for a one way ticket. The flight time between Paro and Gelephu is 45 minutes.

Foreigners will be charged USD 250 for a return trip and USD 140 one way.

Drukair CEO, Tandin Wangchuk said that commercially the flights will not be financially sustainable and that the airline is simply following the government’s directive. “We’re respecting a government directive and we’re operating,” he said.

The government instructed Drukair to begin flying scheduled operations to Gelephu in April and in November.

He pointed out that Drukair would operate to Gelephu even if there is only one passenger flying one way. But when there are no passengers, the airline will not operate.

The CEO said that the government could make the business more sustainable for Drukair if it were to provide aviation fuel facilities at Gelephu domestic airport. Up to 30 percent of the cost of a flight is spent on fuel.

Department of Air Transport (DAT) director, Karma Wangchuk said that it may not be commercially viable for the Bhutan Oil Distributor to have in place aviation fuel facilities at Gelephu given the potentially low number of flights to the airport. However, he said that the DAT will ask the fuel company.

Tandin Wangchuk also said that the government should consider expanding Gelephu airport so that both airlines can use it to temporarily halt there when there is bad weather at Paro international airport. He said this would be a cheaper alternative than having to halt at Kolkata or Bagdorgra.

Karma Wangchuk said that there are plans to eventually expand the airport but that significant costs would be involved. He said any expansion would depend on the government and fund availability.

Tandin Wangchuk did not rule out Drukair approaching the government later on if it is found that the route remains unsustainable.

The erstwhile Department of Civil Aviation constructed the airport at a cost of Nu 225.3 million. A further Nu 9 million was spent to build a new terminal at the airport when the runway had to be shifted and it was found that the first terminal was located too far away.

Source: Kuenselonline

Bhutan Traveler's Tips

The people of Bhutan are like other people! Ask before you take their picture. Ask your guide before taking pictures in Museums or Public Buildings. There are some places that are off limits to visitors for religious and safety reasons. Ask your guide so you can always be sure. And please never hand out candy or small trinkets to children. Bhutanese people are very proud of the fact that there are no beggars in Bhutan and wish not to encourage this behavior of expecting anything from our guests. Small gifts to people you stay with and a tip for your guide are fine.

What should I and what can I bring with me?

1. Good walking shoes
2. Sunglasses
3. Sunscreen (highest possible)
4. Headgear for sunny days
5. Bug repellent
6. Cotton clothing for summer days, light woolen clothes for evenings. Heavy woolens for winter.
7. Shorts for hiking and walking around town are fine. Out of respect, please don’t wear shorts in public buildings or monasteries. Have a pair of long pants or longer skirt for these locations.
8. Toiletries are not provided in most hotels
9. Prescription medications

For trekkers, be sure to bring the following:

1. Sturdy and “broken-in” trekking/hiking boots
2. Sunglasses
3. Sunscreen (highest possible)
4. Headgear
5. Raincoat
6. Medium to heavy sleeping bag (tents are provided)
7. Torch (Flashlight)
8. Insect repellent

Maximum recommended load for trekking is 25Kgs (55lbs.), or 1/5th of body weight. Comfortable casual clothes are great, but you may want to bring some semi-formal clothes (jacket and tie for men, dresses for women) just incase if you coincide with a festival, which is a social function. Even in the summer, it can be cool in Bhutan, and it is very cold in winter. Days can be quite warm, especially in the lowlands of Punakha and Phuentsholing, and you could start off driving in the cold of dawn and become uncomfortable midmorning. Use the layering system, starting with thermal underwear and adding a shirt, pile jacket and wind-breaker (or parka) as necessary. All hotels provide sheets, blankets or quilt, and a pillow. Unless you are trekking, you won’t need to carry a sleeping bag. Hotels provide heating in winter, either an electric heater or a wood stove which will keep you quite warm.

What will the weather be like in Bhutan? Climate: Days are normally warm. Nights can be quite chilly. In winter, the temperature is below freezing point. Monsoon shower in summer with heavy rains in July and August.

Preventing Acute Altitude Sickness

* Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills or narcotics. They may decrease ventilation, intensify hypoxemia and make symptoms worse.
* Drink plenty of fluids.
* Avoid heavy exercise; mild exercise is okay.
* Diamox® (acetazolamide) 125 mg. tablets taken twice a day is F.D.A. approved for prevention and treatment of A.M.S. Although it originally was released as a diuretic (water pill), it also helps you breath deeper and faster. This allows you to get more oxygen. Diamox is especially helpful with the sleeping problems and other symptoms of A.M.S.
* Home oxygen will relieve symptoms. Home oxygen is safe, cheap and easy to use. It can be used at night when symptoms are worse and off and on during the day as symptoms dictate.
* If nothing else works, you can return to lower altitude. Going down to Denver will always relieve the symptoms of A.M.S.

Acute mountain sickness is caused by a lack of oxygen when traveling to higher elevations. This usually occurs in individuals exposed to an altitude over 7,000 feet (2,100 m) who have not had a chance to acclimate to the altitude before engaging in physical activities. (Rare below 12,000 feet) Mountain climbers, trekkers, skiers, and travelers to the Andes or Himalayas are at greatest risk. While individual tolerance varies, symptoms usually appear in several hours, with those in poor physical condition being most susceptible. Headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and poor appetite occur initially. Inability to sleep is also frequently reported. In more severe cases thinking and judgment may become impaired. An uncommon but potentially fatal complication called high altitude pulmonary edema, caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, can also occur.

The symptoms of acute mountain sickness can be prevented or minimized by gradually ascending (less than 500 meters/day) over several days to give your body a chance to acclimate to the higher altitude. Taking the prescription medication Diamox (acetazolamide) 250 mg three times a day has been shown to speed up the acclimatization process and can be taken shortly before and during the ascent. Do not take this medication if you are allergic to sulfa drugs. This medication is a mild diuretic and may work by changing the body’s acid-base balance and stimulating breathing. Dexamethasone 8 mg once a day has also been shown to be effective. However, this steroid medication may have more adverse effects. Once symptoms occur, they usually improve over several days without treatment. However, if they become severe, they can be relieved with the administration of oxygen or descent to a lower altitude.

Essential Extras:
A folding umbrella; especially if traveling during the monsoons of mid June to late September. Rain is possible any time, and is almost certain from June through August.
Be sure to carry ear plugs (and spares) for when you sleep. There are a lot of dogs in Bhutan as the Bhutanese consider them next mankind in the cycle of life. These dogs don’t realize this and will sometimes bark at night.
There are occasional electric outages throughout the country; so you should always keep a torch (flashlight) beside your bed.
Make sure you bring a pair of good sunglasses for protection in the high altitude.
A Swiss style army knife is a good thing to bring, but with the recent concerns over air travel you may want to bring a folding utility tool such as a Leather man and make sure to put it in you check-in luggage.
Bring a small alarm clock if you need help waking up after all those barking dogs. Not all hotel rooms have telephones or wake-up service. Our guides will make sure you are not late for anything.

Packing:
If you are on a cultural tour, it’s OK to bring a hard suitcase, though a soft bag is more versatile and easier to pack into the luggage space of a vehicle. For those trekking in Bhutan a strong duffel bag as luggage is best. You will also want a small rucksack (back pack) or waist pack to carry your camera, water bottle and other essentials in the vehicle and when you are walking around town or visiting monuments.