Rising India-Pakistan tensions disrupt Int’l flights to & from Nepal
As a result, incoming and outgoing flights to Nepal have faced scheduling disruptions, with some arrivals delayed by up to an hour.
KATHMANDU: Increasing military tensions between India and Pakistan have begun to impact international flight routes, causing significant delays in flights entering and leaving Nepal, particularly those from the Middle East and Europe.
According to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) office, the disruption stems from air route changes necessitated by escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan that began on Wednesday, Baisakh 24.
As a result, incoming and outgoing flights to Nepal have faced scheduling disruptions, with some arrivals delayed by up to an hour.
TIA General Manager Pratap Babu Niraula stated that flights previously used to traverse through Pakistani airspace, passing over Delhi into Nepal via a shorter route. “Now, due to airspace restrictions over Pakistan, airlines are forced to reroute through the Arabian Sea, flying over Qatar, Dubai, Oman, and Mumbai before reaching Nepal,” Niraula explained.
This detour has particularly affected carriers such as Qatar Airways, FlyDubai, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airways, and Kuwait Airways — all of which operate regular flights between the Middle East and Kathmandu. Around 15 flights daily are reportedly experiencing delays of up to one hour.
Outbound flights from Nepal are also being rerouted. According to Niraula, aircraft are now being redirected over Simara, through Lucknow and Mumbai, and then towards the Arabian Sea.
Despite the disruptions, airfares have remained stable for the time being. “There has been no significant change in ticket prices so far,” said Niraula. “However, if the geopolitical situation worsens, we may see a ripple effect on airfare in the future.”
Aviation experts caution that prolonged tension in the region could have broader implications for South Asia’s already fragile air connectivity and logistics infrastructure.
