Int’l flights disrupted as 3 Nepal Airlines aircraft grounded

KATHMANDU: Nepal Airlines Corporation’s (NAC) international flights have been significantly disrupted due to the grounding of three out of its four aircraft over the past two days.

The situation worsened when one of NAC’s narrow-body aircraft was grounded on Tuesday, impacting around 800 passengers traveling to and from Kathmandu, Hong Kong, Doha, and Dubai.

The aircraft encountered a hydraulic issue, leading to the cancellation of all its flights, causing widespread inconvenience to passengers.

Among the four aircraft that NAC operates for international flights, three are currently grounded. The Civil Aviation Authority grounded the narrow-body aircraft ‘Sagarmatha’ after identifying a hydraulic issue. The aircraft, which was scheduled to fly 156 passengers from Kathmandu to Hong Kong, was grounded, leaving passengers stranded at the Radisson Hotel lounge throughout the day. NAC arranged for alternative tickets with other international airlines to ensure passengers reached their destinations, according to NAC spokesperson Ramesh Poudel.

Poudel emphasized that NAC has adhered to international standards, providing accommodation for passengers and arranging alternative flights with other airlines. “We have taken responsibility for our passengers by providing them with proper lodging and making necessary flight arrangements,” he said.

In line with international regulations, NAC accommodated stranded passengers in five-star hotels abroad, as required by law. However, the last-minute flight cancellations resulted in a financial loss of around NPR 10 million for NAC.

Poudel explained that NAC currently operates two narrow-body and two wide-body aircraft. One of the wide-body aircraft has been stranded in Italy for two months, undergoing extensive maintenance (C-check). Poudel mentioned that NAC plans to bring the aircraft back to Nepal in August after completing the necessary checks. Additionally, NAC is preparing to send the other wide-body aircraft to Italy on Wednesday evening for a C-check.

On the domestic front, NAC operates two Twin Otter aircraft, with only one currently in service. The other Twin Otter has been grounded for an extended period due to mechanical issues. NAC is working to resolve the grounding issues as quickly as possible to resume normal operations.

NAC assured that the problem with the narrow-body aircraft is temporary and is expected to be resolved within a day or two. Despite grounding issues affecting international flights, Poudel noted that airlines with larger fleets can manage such disruptions without significantly impacting operations. However, NAC’s limited fleet has made it more vulnerable to such challenges.

Poudel acknowledged that the root cause of the problem is the shortage of aircraft within NAC’s fleet. He added that if NAC had more aircraft, such issues would not have surfaced as prominently.