Air India and IndiGo on Tuesday temporarily suspended all flights to and from Kathmandu in view of the upheaval in Nepal.
The decision came after the temporary closure of Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport that left many travellers, including Indians, stranded. Three Indian flights bound for Nepal were diverted to Delhi and Lucknow.
An Air India spokesperson said four to-and-fro flights between Delhi and Kathmandu were cancelled on Tuesday. IndiGo said it had cancelled all flights to Kathmandu, where the Himalayan nation’s primary international airport is located.
“In view of the current situation prevailing in Kathmandu, the following flights AI2231/2232, AI2219/2220, AI217/218 and AI211/212 operating on the Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi route have been cancelled today. We are closely monitoring the situation and will share further updates. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains the top priority,” the airline spokesperson said.
Air India operates six flights to and from Kathmandu. Before the cancellations, two flights had made to-and-fro journeys between Delhi and Kathmandu.
Among the four other flights, one had reached the Nepal capital but returned to Delhi after failing to get landing clearance.
A source told news agency PTI that another flight turned back after noticing smoke at Kathmandu airport.
Two IndiGo flights, Delhi-Kathmandu and Mumbai-Kathmandu, were diverted to Lucknow after failing to receive clearance at the airport in Nepal.
In an X post, Indigo issued the following travel advisory: “In view of the prevailing situation in Kathmandu, the airport has been closed for operations. Consequently, all flights to and from Kathmandu stand suspended as of now.
“If your travel is impacted, you may conveniently opt for an alternate flight or claim a refund by visiting our website. We are closely monitoring the developments and coordinating with local authorities to resume operations at the earliest. Customers are advised to keep checking our official channels for the latest advisories and updates.”
Nepal Airlines also reportedly cancelled flights on the Delhi-Kathmandu route.
Many passengers were stranded at Kathmandu airport. A social media user complained on X: “My wife and many other passengers are stuck at the airport. Need urgent assistance, airport shut down.”