The ongoing road blockages in and out of Kathmandu due to heavy rainfall have led to a significant increase in air passenger traffic. On Ashwin 11 and 12, persistent rains caused landslides and flooding across various parts of the country, obstructing major roadways leading to Kathmandu. As a result, air travel has surged over the past three days.
Tribhuvan International Airport, the busiest airport in the country, recorded a remarkable number of flights recently. On Monday alone, a total of 559 flights, including both domestic and international, were conducted from the airport. According to spokesperson Rinji Sherpa, there were 227 domestic flights (departures) and 221 arrivals, along with 56 international arrivals and 55 departures. Sherpa noted that this may be the highest number of flights recorded in a single day so far.
The surge in flights has increased the overall travel demand. Last year, during the Dashain festival, there were similar flight volumes, averaging around 500 flights daily, with international flights ranging from 113 to 115 and domestic flights accounting for around 270 flights, facilitating travel for approximately 14,000 passengers each day.
For today, the airport has scheduled 169 arrivals and 169 departures for domestic flights, along with 58 departures and 57 arrivals for international flights. The number of helicopter rescue flights is also expected to rise significantly.
While some of the blocked main roadways have partially reopened, travel remains challenging for passengers. In such circumstances, air travel has become the only viable option. However, the sudden increase in air traffic has led to difficulties in reaching destinations on time, with crowds of passengers waiting at the airport. On Sunday and Monday, many travelers were seen at the domestic terminal of the international airport, eagerly awaiting their flights.
