New record in air travel: 550 flights operated on Monday
Crowds of travelers can be seen daily at the airport, with large numbers of passengers waiting for flights at the domestic terminal on Sunday and Monday.
KATHMANDU: Due to road disruptions caused by continuous rainfall on Sept 27 and 28, the number of air travelers has significantly increased as the major roadways leading into and out of Kathmandu, the federal capital, have been blocked by floods and landslides.
The obstruction of road networks in various parts of the country has led to a surge in air passengers over the past three days.
Tribhuvan International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the country, set a new record for air traffic. On Monday alone, there were 559 flights in total, both domestic and international, according to the airport’s spokesperson, Rinji Sherpa. This included 227 domestic departures (including helicopter flights) and 221 domestic arrivals.
On the international front, 56 arrivals and 55 departures were recorded. Sherpa noted that this could be the highest number of flights in a single day to date. The spike in flights has caused increased pressure on the airport. Previously, similar traffic was observed during last year’s Dashain festival.
The airport typically handles around 500 flights daily, including both domestic and international services. On average, there were between 113 and 115 international flights each day, while domestic flights numbered around 270, carrying 14,000 passengers daily.
For today, the airport has scheduled 169 domestic arrivals and 169 departures, as well as 58 international departures and 57 arrivals, Sherpa stated. A significant number of rescue helicopter flights are also expected.
Despite some partial reopening of major roads following the rainfall, traveling by road remains highly challenging for passengers. In this situation, air travel has become the only viable option.
However, the sudden surge in air travel demand has created problems for passengers trying to reach their destinations.
Crowds of travelers can be seen daily at the airport, with large numbers of passengers waiting for flights at the domestic terminal on Sunday and Monday.
