Kathmandu: The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu experienced disruptions for nearly five hours due to technical issues with airfield lighting on Saturday, leading to flight diversions. Korean Air and Fly Dubai redirected their flights to Delhi and Lucknow, respectively, bypassing nearby regional alternatives.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the avoidance of Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara International Airport for such diversions has left local business communities, especially industrialists, disheartened. They expressed concerns over the frequent bypassing of these facilities in favor of airports in neighboring countries. Despite flying over Bhairahawa, pilots chose not to land at Gautam Buddha International Airport.
This is not an isolated incident, as similar diversions occurred last year when Vistara Air and Fly Dubai diverted to Lucknow. Although Gautam Buddha International Airport is designated as an alternative facility, only three diverted flights, including one from Air China, have landed there since its opening on May 15, 2022. The airport, a national pride project, is not operating at full capacity, affecting Nepal’s tourism and economic goals. Regular flights remain absent.
Experts attribute the lack of nighttime accommodation facilities for passengers and inadequate crew management as reasons for avoiding the airport. Additionally, the cheaper aviation fuel prices in India contribute to the preference for Indian airports. Despite its proximity to Kathmandu compared to Lucknow, even Nepal Airlines opts for Lucknow during diversions, although landing within Nepal would be less costly.
Shyam Kishor Saha, spokesperson at Gautam Buddha International Airport, highlighted the absence of a qualified technical workforce as a reason for the avoidance of the airport for diverted landings. While there is a ground handling team, the lack of engineers is a significant barrier.
Local business leaders and residents criticize the government’s insufficient efforts to enhance the airport’s operational capacity. Thakur Kumar Shrestha, former Chair of Siddhartha Commerce and Industry, emphasized the need for diplomatic initiatives to promote the airport. He remarked that the situation underscores the inadequacy of the regional international airports, which seem to serve merely nominal purposes despite substantial investment.
The current state of these airports is attributed to the absence of foreign employment and travel agencies to support international flight demand. Gautam Buddha International Airport remained closed since April 2025, with only chartered flights operational during that period. Recently, Air Asia commenced two weekly flights. Last winter, the airport saw 12,787 arrivals and 11,111 departures.