Nepal Airlines’ international flight operations have been placed under strain after both widebody aircraft of the national flag carrier were grounded simultaneously, forcing the airline to rely on its two narrowbody planes to keep international services running. One widebody is grounded at Narita International Airport in Japan due to an engine related technical issue, while the other is still in Italy for scheduled maintenance. The disruption has already impacted the airline’s flight schedule and left hundreds of passengers stranded at major international destinations.
The aircraft bound for Japan encountered the problem during a routine technical inspection ahead of its planned return to Kathmandu on Monday. As stated by Nepal Airlines technical spokesperson Devendra Pun, the damaged engine component is being replaced after the required spare parts were dispatched from Nepal, and the aircraft should return to Kathmandu once repairs, testing and technical approval are finished. The grounding has posed an immediate operational problem for the airline, which had already been depending on that aircraft as its sole operational widebody.
Engine Issue Grounds Aircraft In Japan
The affected widebody had left Tribhuvan International Airport at 11 p.m. Sunday for Japan and was set to depart Narita at around 10:30 a.m. local time Monday before arriving in Kathmandu at roughly 3 p.m. However, a routine inspection carried out before the return flight revealed damage to one of the 26 blades in the No. 2 engine on the aircraft’s right side, leading the scheduled flight to be suspended.
The technical problem left 226 passengers traveling from Japan to Kathmandu waiting at Narita after the aircraft was grounded. Nepal Airlines has already dispatched the necessary spare parts from Nepal and is waiting for technical clearance to resume the aircraft’s operation. Pun said replacing the engine component is expected to take about four hours, followed by roughly two hours of testing, after which the aircraft will be flown back to Kathmandu if the inspection succeeds.
Second Widebody Still In Italy
The situation has grown more difficult because Nepal Airlines’ other widebody aircraft is already in Italy for maintenance and has not come back in line with the airline’s original schedule. The carrier had intended to finish the maintenance and return the aircraft to Nepal by August 31, but the work has taken longer than anticipated, leaving the aircraft unavailable for international operations.
With one widebody stranded in Italy and the other temporarily grounded in Japan, Nepal Airlines has been compelled to run its international network using its two narrowbody aircraft. The extended absence of both widebodies has sharply cut the airline’s flexibility to manage its regular international schedule, especially on routes that need larger aircraft and greater passenger capacity. The situation has also heightened pressure on the carrier to bring its widebody fleet back into service as quickly as possible.
Fleet Disruption Also Affects Doha Flights
The lack of widebody aircraft in service has already impacted travelers outside the Japan route, as the disruption has spread to Nepal Airlines’ Doha service. The flight from Kathmandu to Doha on Monday night, which carried 269 passengers, was affected, and another 269 passengers booked to fly from Doha to Kathmandu on Tuesday morning also encountered disruption.
This shows how grounding just one operational widebody can swiftly impact several international services when an airline has few aircraft available for long haul operations. Since the second widebody remains under maintenance in Italy, Nepal Airlines currently has minimal capacity to handle unexpected technical issues without altering or disrupting its flight schedule. The airline is thus under pressure to finish repairs on the Japan aircraft and secure its return, while also continuing efforts to restore the Italy-based aircraft to service.
Nepal Airlines Rushes To Rebuild International Capacity
Nepal Airlines states that the aircraft grounded in Japan could return to Kathmandu the same day once repairs and testing are successfully completed and technical approval is granted. The top priority is to replace the damaged engine component, finish the necessary testing, and secure clearance before flying the aircraft back to Nepal.
The grounding of both widebodies at once underscores how vital fleet availability is for Nepal’s international air connectivity, which serves both Nepali travelers and passengers flying to and from the country. Bringing the aircraft back would give the national carrier more capacity to steady its international schedule and ease pressure on its remaining aircraft. Until that happens, passengers on affected routes continue to face uncertainty as Nepal Airlines strives to return its widebody operations to normal.
