KATHMANDU: The number of air travelers has surged after the main roadways into and out of the federal capital, Kathmandu, were blocked due to heavy rainfall on September 28 and 29, 2024. Floods and landslides in various parts of the country have disrupted the road network, making air travel the only viable option for many.
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal’s busiest airport, set a new record for the number of flights on Monday, with a total of 559 flights. According to TIA spokesperson Rinji Sherpa, 227 departures and 221 arrivals were recorded on domestic routes, including helicopter flights, while international flights saw 56 arrivals and 55 departures.
Spokesperson Sherpa stated that this is possibly the highest number of flights in a single day to date. The increased demand for air travel has resulted in heavy traffic at the airport. The last time a similar surge in air traffic occurred was during last year’s Dashain festival, with around 500 flights per day.
During that period, international flights averaged 113 to 115 per day, while domestic flights handled about 270 flights, facilitating the movement of around 14,000 passengers daily.
For today, Sherpa mentioned that 169 domestic arrivals and 169 departures have been scheduled, with 58 international departures and 57 international arrivals. Additionally, there will be a significant number of helicopter rescue flights due to the continued disruption of roadways.
Although some of the main roads have partially reopened, travel remains extremely difficult for passengers. With road transportation nearly impossible, air travel has become the only alternative. However, the sudden increase in flight demand has made it challenging for passengers to secure seats and reach their destinations.
Crowds of passengers have been seen waiting at the airport daily. Both Sunday and Monday witnessed large numbers of travelers in the domestic terminal, waiting for their flights.