Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport halts all flights after runway tech glitch
All flight operations at Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu were suspended on Saturday following a technical malfunction in the runway’s lighting system, airport officials confirmed to ANI.
As a result of the technical issue, which was first flagged at 5.30 pm (local time), all flights in and out of the airport have been delayed.
"Problem has been reported in the airfield lighting system of the runway. At least five flights are on hold as of now. All arrival and departure flights, domestic and international, have been delayed. The problem was detected at 5:30 PM (Local Time), Renji Sherpa, spokesperson for the TIA (Tribhuvan International Airport), told the news agency over the phone.
Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal’s only international gateway, handles hundreds of flights daily and is a critical hub for the country’s tourism and business travel.
Officials further told the ANI that normal operations would resume once the system is fully restored and safety checks are complete.
Rainwater suspected
According to airport officials cited by ANI, the malfunction was likely caused by rainwater seeping into the wiring channels of the runway lighting system, resulting in a short circuit that left the runway in complete darkness. Repair teams were immediately deployed, and Sherpa confirmed that “repair works are underway.”
Planes from Dubai (Fly Dubai), Doha (Qatar Airways), and Seoul (Korean Air) were put on hold at Simara Airport, south of Kathmandu. Due to fuel shortage, the Korean Air flight was diverted to New Delhi, while a domestic Buddha Air service from Janakpur was ordered to return to its origin after circling in the holding zone.
The temporary blackout has raised operational concerns, as TIA operates a table-top runway spanning 3,350 metres—requiring precision lighting to ensure safe landings and takeoffs, especially under low visibility conditions.
Runway lighting systems are critical for marking the edges, centreline, and thresholds of runways, providing essential guidance to pilots during night operations and adverse weather.
As a result of the technical issue, which was first flagged at 5.30 pm (local time), all flights in and out of the airport have been delayed.
"Problem has been reported in the airfield lighting system of the runway. At least five flights are on hold as of now. All arrival and departure flights, domestic and international, have been delayed. The problem was detected at 5:30 PM (Local Time), Renji Sherpa, spokesperson for the TIA (Tribhuvan International Airport), told the news agency over the phone.
Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal’s only international gateway, handles hundreds of flights daily and is a critical hub for the country’s tourism and business travel.
Officials further told the ANI that normal operations would resume once the system is fully restored and safety checks are complete.
Rainwater suspected
According to airport officials cited by ANI, the malfunction was likely caused by rainwater seeping into the wiring channels of the runway lighting system, resulting in a short circuit that left the runway in complete darkness. Repair teams were immediately deployed, and Sherpa confirmed that “repair works are underway.”
Planes from Dubai (Fly Dubai), Doha (Qatar Airways), and Seoul (Korean Air) were put on hold at Simara Airport, south of Kathmandu. Due to fuel shortage, the Korean Air flight was diverted to New Delhi, while a domestic Buddha Air service from Janakpur was ordered to return to its origin after circling in the holding zone.
The temporary blackout has raised operational concerns, as TIA operates a table-top runway spanning 3,350 metres—requiring precision lighting to ensure safe landings and takeoffs, especially under low visibility conditions.
Runway lighting systems are critical for marking the edges, centreline, and thresholds of runways, providing essential guidance to pilots during night operations and adverse weather.
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