85 daily flights will be affected in Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) following the rehabilitation project of the runway. The rehabilitation work will be initiated from Chaitra 18 (April 1) and is expected to be completed within three months.
According to the officials of TIA, 22-25 international air services and 60 domestic air services will be affected daily.
The sole international airport of the country will remain close from 10 pm to 8 am in the morning halting all the flight operations for accommodating the runway extension project.
The night international flights will be conducted after 8 AM morning whereas the domestic flights of 8 AM morning will be shifted to 2 hours later which mean that domestic flights will be conducted at 10 AM. Due to this, the air traffic arc will be increased drastically and it’s hard for the airport office to arrange flight managements.
One of the high officials of TIA stated that at least 10 to 15 per cent of regular flight will be deducted and the preparation is going on in arranging remaining flights from 8 AM to 10 PM. According to him, the flight to Lukla will be the most affected flight but in order to manage flights, the domestic airlines is preparing to operate Lukla flight from Rammechhap. Even though changing other flight schedule doesn’t affect much but lukla flights will be the most affected as it is conducted early morning.
60 domestic flight which were conducted from 6 to 8 AM includes flights to Lukla, Mountain flight and other urban areas.
The runway of TIA constructed in 1975, is going to be upgraded for the first time. China National Aero Technology International Engineering Corporation, Chinese Company held a charge of the runway rehabilitation project of TIA. The agreement was signed on November 5, 2018.
The construction company has already started collecting the necessary materials.
TIA will be closed completed as all the pitches will be peel out then the runway rehabilitation work will be carried out.
Currently, Turkish Air operates at 8 pm, Qatar Airways operates at 9 pm, Malindo Air at 9:45 pm, Cathay Pacific and
China Southern at 10pm, Malaysian Air at 10:30 pm, Jet Airways at 11 pm, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) at 11:45pm.
Previously, international aircraft used to night stay at TIA but due to rehabilitation work, all the international flight has to be done after 8 am and before 10 pm.
3 months earlier , Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has informed all the airlines companies about closing TIA for 10 hours.
