Passengers stranded at TIA start flying to Gulf countries

KATHMANDU: Passengers stranded at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) since Monday night after the cancellation of Gulf-bound flights have begun flying to their destinations as services resume.  

The Nepal Airlines flight to Doha, scheduled for 11:30 pm on Monday, and the Himalaya Airlines service to Qatar were both cancelled amid a developing situation in Qatar following Iran’s missile attack. Flights were called off at the last hour, during boarding preparations, after information about the attack was received.  

TIA officials report that Qatar’s airspace has now reopened, allowing the cancelled services to depart. The flights that were halted overnight were rescheduled for 12 noon today.  

Jagannath Niraula, General Manager of TIA, said the cancellations left hundreds of passengers stranded, most of whom were travelling for foreign employment. He added that the Doha–Kathmandu return service due at 8:00 am on Tuesday had also been cancelled by Qatari authorities, but expressed confidence that regular operations would resume soon.  

Subas Dangi, spokesperson for Nepal Airlines Corporation, said the Monday night flight to Doha carried 269 passengers and that the airport had completed all procedures to dispatch them today. He warned, however, that flights to Gulf countries could continue to face delays while the situation remains unstable.  

Thirty airlines, including three Nepali carriers, operate international services from TIA.

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