Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu reopened on Wednesday, a day after it was shut down following violent anti-corruption protests, othe Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) confirmed in a statement.
"We hereby inform that the flights suspended due to adverse circumstances would now be lifted, which has been made in accordance with the decision of the Tribhuvan International Airport Security Committee meeting held today. Passengers traveling to the airport for flights are requested to contact their respective airline companies for flight information and to bring official airline tickets and identification documents with them when traveling," the statement said.
“We had closed the airport due to security reasons as we saw smoke in some areas surrounding the airport as well as parts of the runway,” said Rinji Sherpa, spokesperson of the airport.
Earlier, the TIA had announced a temporary closure until 6 pm Wednesday, news portal Khabarhub said.
The airport had been closed “until further notice” on Tuesday after agitators tried to enter its premises, leaving hundreds of domestic and foreign passengers stranded.
Flight services were partially suspended before authorities announced a complete halt, citing security concerns.
On Tuesday night, the Nepal Army took control of the airport to prevent further incursions.
The Army urged “foreign nationals, who are stranded due to the current difficult situation, to contact the nearest security post or security people for their rescue or any other help.”
It also requested hotels and tourism agencies to assist stranded visitors.
The Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) appealed to stakeholders to ensure the safety and mobility of tourists, saying: “As the country is passing through a difficult situation and the airport remains closed, it is necessary to manage the stranded tourists.”
The association said it is coordinating with the Nepal Tourism Board and the Army and issued a hotline (9851031495) for accommodation assistance.
Authorities said normal operations at the airport will depend on the security situation, though Wednesday’s reopening signalled a cautious step towards restoring order.
Indian airlines cancel Kathmandu flights for second day
Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet cancelled their services to and from Kathmandu on Wednesday.
Air India confirmed that all its Kathmandu flights scheduled for September 10 had been suspended.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and will share further updates," the airline said in a statement.
IndiGo also announced cancellations, citing the extended airport shutdown.
In a post on X, the airline said, "Following the extension of the airport closure in Kathmandu, all flights to and from the city will remain cancelled until 1800 hours on September 10. We fully understand the uncertainty this may cause and want to assure you that flexible options remain open. We continue to extend waivers on rescheduling and cancellations for travel to and from Kathmandu until September 12, applicable for bookings made on or before September 9. While operations are on hold, our teams are actively coordinating with the relevant authorities and remain fully prepared to restore services as soon as permissions are granted."
Air India Express also cancelled flights to the Nepalese city.
In a statement, it said, "In view of the prevailing situation in Nepal, we are offering guests booked to travel to or from Nepal up to 17th September 2025, the support and flexibility to freely reschedule their journeys to any future travel date with a complete waiver of change fees or any fare difference. Alternatively, guests who elect to cancel their bookings for these dates would receive a full refund to their original mode of payment or travel agent." The airline clarified that operations beyond September 11 would not be affected.
SpiceJet, meanwhile, announced on Tuesday that its Kathmandu flights scheduled for Wednesday would not operate.
Air India, which usually runs six flights daily between New Delhi and Kathmandu, had already cancelled four services on Tuesday. IndiGo, SpiceJet and Nepal Airlines also suspended several flights on the same route.
The cancellations follow violent anti-government demonstrations in Nepal that led to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. To control the situation, the Nepal Army has imposed nationwide curfews and restrictive orders.