More than 3,000 passengers were left stranded in Kathmandu on Saturday after 18 international flights were cancelled due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The disruptions followed retaliatory strikes by Tehran after attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, prompting several countries in the region to shut their airspace as a precaution. As a result, flights from Nepal to major Middle Eastern destinations, including Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Doha in Qatar; Kuwait; Dammam in Saudi Arabia; and Istanbul in Turkey, were affected.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said that countries such as Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and the UAE had temporarily closed their airspace. While some flights operated on Saturday morning, services scheduled for the afternoon and night were largely cancelled.
Among the affected carriers were Nepal Airlines, Qatar Airways, Flydubai, Air Arabia, Himalaya Airlines and Kuwait Airways. Hundreds of passengers booked on flights to and from Dammam, Doha and Dubai were impacted. In total, cancellations affected around 3,000 travellers.
Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines have temporarily suspended flights to key Gulf destinations, including Dubai, Dammam and Doha. Many passengers who had already arrived at the airport were forced to wait as airlines worked to manage the situation.
Authorities have advised travellers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Nepali citizens living in Israel and Iran to remain alert and avoid unnecessary travel. It has also advised against travelling to those countries for the time being.
A significant number of Nepalis work in Gulf nations, making the flight disruptions particularly concerning for migrant workers and their families.