Fears of all-out war in the Middle East have grounded Nepal’s connections to the Gulf, with 14 flights cancelled at Kathmandu’s main airport on Saturday amid Iran’s reprisals against US and Israeli strikes.
The cascade began with airspace closures across multiple countries, halting civilian traffic after Tehran targeted American installations and Israeli positions in the region.
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), under Nepal’s CAAN, tallied the cancellations by day’s end: routes to Dubai, Doha, Dammam, and beyond operated by local carriers Nepal and Himalaya Airlines, plus Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Flydubai, and Kuwait Airways. Himalaya pulled the most, six in total.
Stranded passengers packed the TIA concourse, phones glued to airline apps for news. Himalaya’s notice read: ‘Ongoing Middle East airspace issues have led to cancellation of all Dubai, Dammam, Doha flights until further notice. Monitor our social media and site.’
Nepal Airlines confirmed shelving RA 229/230 Dubai and RA 239 Doha flights for late February into early March, with Dammam pending.
TIA had issued preemptive alerts on potential delays or axings, urging pre-trip checks. Coordination with airlines is underway to handle the backlog and support affected travelers.
For Nepal’s economy, reliant on Gulf worker remittances, the shutdown spells trouble. As diplomats scramble for de-escalation, passengers face an anxious wait—stay informed via official sources.