Nepalgunj Airport has experienced significant disruption in flight operations since early this morning due to dense fog and low visibility. According to Rinki Mallik, a traffic controller at the Civil Aviation Office in Nepalgunj, visibility was limited to just 50 meters, well below the minimum requirement for safe flights.
Mallik stated that the airport requires visibility of at least 1,000 meters for takeoff and 1,600 meters for landing. As a result, all flights scheduled from Nepalgunj Airport, including those to hilly districts, Kathmandu, Dhangadhi, and Pokhara, have been suspended. On average, the airport handles over 50 flights daily to these destinations.
Passengers bound for Kathmandu and hilly districts are waiting at the airport as flights remain grounded. The dense fog, combined with the ongoing cold wave, has severely affected daily life in the region, adding to the inconvenience for travelers.
This disruption highlights the challenges posed by seasonal weather conditions at Nepalgunj Airport, which serves as a vital hub for air travel in the area. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, but operations will remain suspended until visibility improves.