New Delhi: Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu reopened on Wednesday evening after being closed due to unrest in Nepal. Indian airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, announced that they will resume normal flight services to Kathmandu from Thursday, alongside additional flights to evacuate Indians stranded in the neighbouring country.
The disruptions followed widespread protests and violence in Nepal that led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and a curfew imposed by the Nepal Army. On Tuesday and Wednesday, airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and SpiceJet had suspended flights to and from Kathmandu.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu confirmed that extra flights would be operated to assist stranded passengers and urged airlines to keep fares at reasonable levels. “Due to the airport closure in Nepal, many home-bound passengers were unable to return from Kathmandu. With the reopening of airport operations, we have arranged additional flights this evening and over the next few days, alongside the resumption of scheduled services,” he said in a post on X.
Air India announced that special flights from Delhi to Kathmandu and back would operate today and tomorrow to help stranded passengers. The airline added, “Our scheduled operations will also resume from tomorrow. We thank the government and other agencies for the quick coordination to facilitate this in the interest of our passengers.”
IndiGo confirmed that flight services to Kathmandu have resumed following the airport reopening. The airline coordinated with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Air India to organize additional flights, ensuring passengers could safely return.
Earlier, Air India Express had offered travelers booked to Nepal until September 17, 2025, full flexibility to reschedule flights or receive full refunds without penalties. Operations beyond tomorrow were expected to continue without disruptions.
Meanwhile, 112 Indian tourists from Thane district in Maharashtra, stranded in Kathmandu and Pokhara due to the unrest, appealed to the government for urgent evacuation. Murbad MLA Kisan Kathore confirmed that 47 tourists were trapped in Kathmandu while 65 were in Pokhara. He stated that authorities were coordinating with the state government for their safe return.
The political crisis in Nepal intensified as mass protests, initially sparked by a social media ban, expanded into nationwide demonstrations against alleged corruption and governance failures. The unrest saw parliament buildings and government offices set ablaze, resulting in 19 deaths.
As flight services resume, India continues to support its citizens stranded abroad, emphasizing coordination and compassion in the face of geopolitical turmoil.
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