Kathmandu – Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu has initiated a new closure schedule, now closing for 10 hours daily starting Friday. The airport will be closed from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. to facilitate critical maintenance of the runway and taxiway, extending a previous three-hour closure from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily.

Previously, TIA operated 21 hours a day, allowing for full-time international arrivals and departures and domestic flights between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. With the extended closure, the number of flights has been significantly reduced. During the autumn season, the airport managed 410 flights per week, which has now dropped to 287. Domestic flights, previously at 356 per day, are now limited to 230.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) established revised schedules for domestic operators, with airlines like Buddha Air seeing a reduction from 154 to 139 daily flights. Similarly, Yeti Airlines’ flight schedule dropped from 72 to 41 flights, while Shree Airlines, Sita Air, Tara Air, and others saw their daily flights nearly halved.

International flights have also experienced reductions, with some routes completely suspended. Himalayan Airlines, for instance, has canceled its Dhaka route, and Salam Air has paused Muscat flights. Reductions are also impacting Air Arabia's Sharjah route, Air India's Delhi route, and Himalayan Airlines' Beijing flights. However, some destinations, including Turkish Airlines' Istanbul and Himalayan Airlines' Chongqing routes, have seen an increase in flights.

As the number of flights has decreased, ticket prices have risen sharply. Passengers report that Kathmandu-Delhi fares have surged from NPR 14,000 to as much as NPR 40,000, with some travelers struggling to find tickets despite the high costs. Allegations of ticket hoarding and price gouging have emerged, with complaints that agents are creating artificial scarcity to charge higher fares.

The TIA upgrade, part of a NPR 15 billion project, aims to enhance capacity and facilitate smoother traffic flow by allowing simultaneous takeoffs and landings. The project will expand a parallel taxiway, apron space, and hangar facilities, reportedly increasing runway capacity by 25%.

CAAN representatives state that this timing for the upgrade aligns with the winter season, a period of lower air traffic due to Nepal’s monsoon season, which limits maintenance activities. CAAN spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul mentioned that the revised flight schedules are based on airline performance from the previous year, with lower-performing airlines receiving fewer flights.

Meanwhile, authorities are promoting Bhairahawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport as an alternative hub during TIA’s reduced operation hours, despite airline concerns over limited local amenities and accessibility. Some travel companies are exploring Delhi as an alternative for passengers unable to book flights from Kathmandu, citing Delhi’s extensive international connections as a viable option.

As CAAN enforces this period of maintenance, industry voices are urging authorities to address the lack of accessible flights, especially for Nepali workers traveling to Gulf countries and other labor destinations.