Tribhuvan International Airport (
Nepali: त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल) (, colloquially referred to as TIA) is an
international airport
An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer ...
located in
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
,
Bagmati
, "Tiger Gate")
, source1_location = Shivapuri, Sundarijal, Kathmandu, Nepal
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, mouth = Confluence with Kamala River
, mouth_location = Jagmohra, Bihar, India
, mouth_coo ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. It is operating with a
tabletop runway
A tabletop runway is a runway that is located on the top of a plateau or hill with one or both ends adjacent to a steep precipice which drops into a deep gorge. This type of runway creates an optical illusion of being at the same level as the ...
, one domestic and an international terminal. As a main international airport, it connects Nepal to over 40 destinations in 17 countries.
The airport is a hub for two international airlines, the flag carrier
Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
and
Himalaya Airlines
Himalaya Airlines ( ne, हिमालय एअरलाइन्स्, ') is a Nepalese airline operating from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. Himalaya Airlines was founded in 2014 as a joint venture between Yeti World In ...
, along with multiple
domestic carriers. The airport is considered as a starting point for
Mount Everest
Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
international tourists, with several daily flights to
Lukla
Lukla ( ne, लुक्ला ) is a small town in the Khumbu Pasanglhamu rural municipality of the Solukhumbu District in the Province No. 1 of north-eastern Nepal. Situated at , it is a popular place for visitors to the Himalayas near Mount Eve ...
. Several airlines also offer Everest sightseeing flights out of Kathmandu.
Due to heavy traffic congestion, winter fog and the airport running out of its full capacity, the
Government of Nepal
The Government of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल सरकार) is the federal executive authority of Nepal. Prior to the abolition of the Nepali monarchy in 2006 (became republic in 2008), it was officially known as His Majesty's Government.
T ...
promoted
Gautam Buddha International Airport
Gautam Buddha International Airport , also known as Bhairahawa Airport, is an international airport located in Siddharthanagar (formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa) serving Lumbini in Lumbini Province, as well as the Butwal﹣Siddh ...
as an alternative airport in case of necessary diversions.
History
![Nepal-kathmandu-Tribhuvan-international-airport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Nepal-kathmandu-Tribhuvan-international-airport.jpg)
The airport was originally named ''Gauchaur Airport'', after the area of Kathmandu where it was situated. In
Nepali, "Gauchaur" refers to a place where cows graze. The formal beginning of aviation in Nepal occurred in 1949, with the landing of a
Beechcraft Bonanza carrying the Indian ambassador. However, there are claims that there is evidence that
Simara Airport
Simara Airport ( ne, सिमरा विमानस्थल) is a domestic airport located in Jitpur Simara serving Bara District, a district in Madhesh Province in Nepal. It also serves Birgunj, Nepal's fifth biggest city.
History
T ...
existed in some form as early as 1946 and would therefore be the oldest airport in Nepal – this is, however, disputed.
The first charter flight took place between Gauchaur and
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
, in a
Himalayan Aviation
Himalayan Aviation ( hi, हिमालयन एविएशन) was an airline based in India that operated in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent until its nationalization and merger into Indian Airlines in 1953.
Incidents
* On ...
Dakota
Dakota may refer to:
* Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux
** Dakota language, their language
Dakota may also refer to:
Places United States
* Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Dakota, Illinois, a town
* Dakota, Minnesota, ...
on 20 February 1950.
On 20 February 1950, an Indian registered
Dakota DC-3 commenced the first ever scheduled service, linking Kathmandu to
Patna
Patna (
), historically known as Pataliputra, is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Patna had a population of 2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city in India. ...
,
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
and
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
.
In 1950,
King Tribhuvan
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज त्रिभुवन वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (30 June 1906 – 13 March 1955) was King of Nepal from 11 December 1911 until his ...
took refuge at the Indian embassy in an attempt to overthrow the
Rana dynasty
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
.
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, the four-year-old grandson of Tribhuvan was crowned the new king. On 10 November 1950, two Indian planes landed at Gauchaur Airport and carried the young king along with his grandfather to Delhi. After the
Delhi Accord, the Rana regime ended and King Tribhuvan landed at Gauchaur Airport as the
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
on 18 February 1951, bringing the waves of democracy in Nepal.
In 1952, the first scheduled domestic flights commenced to
Bhairahawa
Siddharthanagar ( ne, सिद्धार्थनगर), formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa ( ne, भैरहवा), is a municipality and the administrative headquarter of Rupandehi District in Lumbini Province of Nepal, ...
,
Biratnagar
Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
,
Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
and
Simara.
On 15 June 1955, the airport was inaugurated by
King Mahendra
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज महेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव; 11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was the King of Nepal from 13 March 1955 until ...
and renamed Tribhuvan Airport in memory of the king's father. The airport was again renamed to ''Tribhuvan International Airport'' in 1964.
In 1957, the original grass runway 16/34 was re-laid in concrete. In 1964, the former runway 16/34 was abandoned for a newer runway 02/20. The new runway was extended from to with the joint effort of the
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field offic ...
(ADB) and the
OPEC
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, ) is a cartel of countries. Founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), it has, since 1965, been headquart ...
in 1975.
The runway was re-strengthened in 1981.
In 1961, Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
landed in a Dakota plane for her first visit to Nepal, one of the most high-profile arrivals at the airport.
In 1967, Tribhuvan International Airport witnessed its first jet aircraft, a
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (), commonly shortened to Lufthansa, is the flag carrier of Germany. When combined with its subsidiaries, it is the second- largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. Lufthansa is one of the five founding m ...
Boeing 707 and 1972, the Nepali flag carrier,
Royal Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
commenced jet operations from the airport with a
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is an American narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After the heavy 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter flight lengths from smaller airpo ...
.
The same year, Nepali personnel took over
air traffic services
In aviation, an air traffic service (ATS) is a service which regulates and assists aircraft in real-time to ensure their safe operations. In particular, ATS is to:
* prevent collisions between aircraft; provide advice of the safe and efficient cond ...
from the Indian personnel.
In 1985, the extension apron of the runway 02/20 was overlaid. Similarly, the development of the terminal building was commenced in the same year. In 1987, the construction of the Airlines Operation and
Control Tower
Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airsp ...
building was completed and the taxiway was overlaid. In the same year, on 11 October, Nepal witnessed the first ever landing of
Concorde
The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde () is a retired Franco-British supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
Studies started in 1954, and France an ...
. In 1989, the construction of the terminal building was completed and on 18 February 1990, the newly built TIA complex were officially inaugurated by
King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah.
In 1992,
Necon Air
Necon Air was a Nepalese airline based in Kathmandu. The airline was Nepal's first private airline company and was established on 14 September 1992 with one Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft. The airline indefinitely suspended flights in 2003 due t ...
, Nepal's first private airline commenced the domestic operations from TIA with
Hawker Siddeley HS 748
The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed and initially produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Avro. It was the last aircraft to be developed by Avro prior to its absorption by Hawker Siddeley ...
.
In 1995, works started to expand the domestic terminal. Likewise,
Amplitude modulation signalling system The amplitude modulation signalling system (AMSS or the AM signalling system) is a digital system for adding low bit rate information to an analogue amplitude modulated broadcast signal in the same manner as the Radio Data System (RDS) for freq ...
(AMSS) and
very-small-aperture terminal
A very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) is a two-way satellite ground station with a dish antenna that is smaller than 3.8 meters. The majority of VSAT antennas range from 75 cm to 1.2 m. Bit rates, in most cases, range from 4 kbit/s up to 1 ...
(V-SAT) were also installed at the airport.
In 1997,
airport surveillance radar (ASR) and
secondary surveillance radar
Secondary surveillance radar (SSR)''Secondary Surveillance Radar'', Stevens M.C. Artech House, is a radar system used in air traffic control (ATC), that unlike primary radar systems that measure the bearing and distance of targets using the d ...
(SSR) came into the operation. The installation of radar surveillance was proposed by Japan in 1994, following the crash of
Thai Airways Flight 311
Thai Airways International Flight 311 was a flight from Bangkok, Thailand's Don Mueang International Airport to Kathmandu, Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport. On Friday, 31 July 1992, an Airbus A310-304 on the route, registration crashed on ...
and
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 was an Airbus A300, Aircraft registration, registration which Aviation accidents and incidents, crashed while approaching Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on 28 September 1992. All 167 pe ...
in 1992, which claimed the lives of 280 people altogether; including the 17 high-level Japanese diplomats. On 9 September 1998, Prime Minister
Girija Prasad Koirala
Nepal Ratna Girija Prasad Koirala ( ne, गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइराला ; 4 July 1924 – 20 March 2010), affectionately known as Girija Babu, was a Nepalese politician. He headed the Nepali Congress and served as the ...
officially inaugurated the radars.
In May 2007,
Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines AG, often shortened to Austrian, is the flag carrier of Austria and a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. The airline is headquartered on the grounds of Vienna International Airport in Schwechat where it also maintains its ...
discontinued its flight to
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
, Nepal's last direct air link to Europe. In September 2013,
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines ( Turkish: ''Türk Hava Yolları'') is the national flag carrier airline of Turkey. , it operates scheduled services to 340 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, making it the largest mainline carrier in the ...
launched direct flights from
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
to Kathmandu, re-establishing Nepal's connection with continental Europe.
In August 2013, the airport's only runway had to be closed for
wide-body aircraft
A wide-body aircraft, also known as a twin-aisle aircraft, is an airliner with a fuselage wide enough to accommodate two passenger aisles with seven or more seats abreast. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabi ...
because the runway, which was in disrepair, could no longer withstand their weight.
In 2016, a new domestic terminal of 6300 m
2 (67,813 sq. ft.) was opened, replacing the old terminal building of 2200 m
2 (23,681 sq. ft.). The new facility is a temporary structure, and it cost Rs. 119.8 million to house passengers and office space for 15 local airlines.
In 2020, the runway was extended to , the departure hall was expanded to accommodate 1500 more passengers, the arrival area was extended to a lower level and the immigration hall was facelifted.
In 2022, the airport extended its domestic terminal, with the new section of the building being exclusively used by
Buddha Air
Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd ( ne, बुद्ध एयर) is an airline based in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal, near Patan. It operates domestic as well as international services within Nepal and India, serving mainly large towns and cities in Ne ...
.
Facilities
Apron
![TIA_International_Parking_Bays](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/TIA_International_Parking_Bays.jpg)
The international apron at TIA can handle up to 17 aircraft, although only three can support
wide-body
A wide-body aircraft, also known as a twin-aisle aircraft, is an airliner with a fuselage wide enough to accommodate two passenger aisles with seven or more seats abreast. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabin ...
category aircraft. There is also a bay at the eastern side of the airport that can hold two wide-body and two
ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed ...
or similar type of aircraft. The eastern bay is used solely to park disabled or non-operational airplanes.With the completion of the construction of the two apron the parking capacity has increased to 17 aircraft.
![Defunct_Nepal_Airlines_airplanes_at_TIA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Defunct_Nepal_Airlines_airplanes_at_TIA.jpg)
The aprons at the domestic terminal have been accommodating up to 35 aircraft, despite its allowable capacity of only 17. The helipad at TIA can handle up to 17 helicopters.
Runway
The airport has a single runway with a slope of 1.2%
oriented at 02/20. There is no
instrument landing system
In aviation, the instrument landing system (ILS) is a precision radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to aircraft to allow them to approach a runway at night or in bad weather. In its original form, it allows an aircraft to ...
available.
The
bitumen
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
runway with the strength of
PCN 54F/A/W/T has the markings of the centerline, edge, touchdown zone and the threshold. It has a 60 meters Runway Strip and 240 meters Runway End Safety Area (RESA). The runway has five intersections with the taxiways. The taxiway G runs parallel to the runway but it doesn't connect the thresholds.
Aids to Landing and Navigation
![Tia lighting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Tia_lighting.png)
There are two
non-precision approach
In aviation, an instrument approach or instrument approach procedure (IAP) is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft operating under instrument flight rules from the beginning of the initial approach to a landi ...
available at the Kathmandu Airport; VHF omnidirectional range along a distance measuring equipment (
VOR/DME
In radio navigation, a VOR/DME is a radio beacon that combines a VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) with a distance-measuring equipment (DME). The VOR allows the receiver to measure its bearing to or from the beacon, while the DME provides the s ...
) and
Required Area Navigation (RNAV/RNP). Due to mountainous terrain VOR/DME system are installed at Kathmandu and Bhattedanda for a better communication. A high intensity extended centerline lights are installed at the southern end of the airport to assist with the approach. The runway is equipped with high intensity centerline lights, bidirectional raised edge lights, the threshold lights and the runway end lights.
Precision approach path indicator
A precision approach path indicator (PAPI) is a visual aid that provides guidance information to help a pilot to acquire and maintain the correct approach (in the vertical plane) to an airport or an aerodrome. It is generally located on the left- ...
(PAPI) lights (3°) are installed as landing aids for the two runways 02/20. There is however no ILS system installed in the airport.
Terminals
![Domestic_Terminal_TIA_2022](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Domestic_Terminal_TIA_2022.jpg)
There are two public terminals at the airport, one for international traffic and one for domestic traffic. The international terminal can handle up to 1350 departing passengers per hour, though it has been handling 2200 per hour at peak hours to suit the increasing demand of passengers.
A terminal for VIP guests is also operated by the
Government of Nepal
The Government of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल सरकार) is the federal executive authority of Nepal. Prior to the abolition of the Nepali monarchy in 2006 (became republic in 2008), it was officially known as His Majesty's Government.
T ...
, where international state guests are welcomed. There are plans to construct a separate terminal for
helicopter transportation.
Radisson Hotel Kathmandu operates an executive lounge for first and business class passengers for several airlines and
Thai Airways
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, trading as THAI (, th, บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด (มหาชน)) is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961, the airline has its corporate h ...
operates a Royal Thai Silk lounge for its business-class passengers, as well as
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's largest global airline alliance. Founded on 14 May 1997, its CEO is Jeffrey Goh and its headquarters is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. , Star Alliance is the largest of the three global alliances by passenge ...
Gold card holders.
There is a duty-free shop in the departure area, and tea, coffee, and confectionery outlets that serve international travellers including A.B.P. Mart, Karki Multiple Trade and Suppliers. There are also baggage help desk, senior citizens and
mother room, banking services and pre-paid taxi services to assist the travelling passengers at the terminal building.
The domestic terminal is located to the northern side of the airport, can be accessed using Free Shuttle Service from the airport main gate. In its temporary building, the domestic terminal has set aside 289 square metres for airline offices, 282 square metres for restaurants, and 58 square metres for lavatories. The terminal has a capacity of 765 passengers per hour.
Aircraft Maintenance
![Nepal_Airlines_Hangar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Nepal_Airlines_Hangar.jpg)
Nepal Airlines operates a large hangar between the international and domestic terminals. There are plans to upgrade and move this facility to the eastern side of the airside. Buddha Air operates a closed door hangar facility, which can accommodate
narrow-body aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than in width.
In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with m ...
at the eastern side of the airport.
Location and access
Tribhuvan International Airport is located from
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath Temple ( ne, श्री पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal.
This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This "extensi ...
and east of the city center and main tourist area
Thamel
Thamel ( ne, ठमेल) is a commercial neighborhood located in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Thamel has been the centre of the tourist industry in Kathmandu for over four decades, starting from the hippie days, when many artists came to Ne ...
. The nearest hotel is Airport Hotel located about from the airport gate.
It is in the middle of the junction of three ancient cities namely Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. The airport is connected to major parts of
Kathmandu valley
The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...
by the
ring road
A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...
.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
The following airlines offer regular scheduled and charter flights at Tribhuvan International Airport
Buddha Air
Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd ( ne, बुद्ध एयर) is an airline based in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal, near Patan. It operates domestic as well as international services within Nepal and India, serving mainly large towns and cities in Ne ...
,
Yeti Airlines
Yeti Airlines Pvt. Ltd. ( ne, यती एअरलाइन्स) is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The airline was established in May 1998 and received its Air Operators Certificate on 17 August 1998. Since 2019, Yeti Airlines is ...
, and
Sita Air
Sita Air is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal, operating domestic services within Nepal. The airline was established in 2003.The airline's main base is Tribhuvan International Airport with hubs at Pokhara Airport and Nepalgunj Airport.
Histo ...
also provide daily mountain sightseeing flights or
Mount Everest sightseeing flights out of Tribhuvan International Airport. They usually depart from the domestic terminal in the early morning hours and return to the airport one hour later.
The helicopter operators
Air Dynasty
Air Dynasty Heli Service Pvt. Ltd. is a helicopter airline based at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, operating chartered helicopter services. The company was established in 1993 and mainly carries out domestic chartered heli ...
,
Manang Air, Prabhu Helicopter,
Simrik Air,
Shree Airlines
Shree Airlines Pvt. Ltd. ( ne, श्री एयरलाइन्स) is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal, operating domestic services within Nepal, including chartered helicopter flights. The airline also conducts charter and non-charter ...
and
Fishtail Air
Fishtail Air Pvt. Ltd., from 2018 to 2020 known as Summit Helicopters Pvt. Ltd., is a helicopter airline based at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, operating chartered helicopter services. The company was established in 1997 und ...
offer helicopter operations out of their respective hubs at Tribhuvan International Airport.
Statistics
Airline Market Share
Expansion
According to th
CAAN Aviation Report – 2017 Tribhuvan International will undergo expansions under Transport Project Preparatory Facility funded partly by the
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field offic ...
. Major works include:
* Construction of a parallel taxiway system and side strip
* Construction of a new international terminal building
* Reconfiguration of existing international terminal building to domestic terminal building
* Relocation of
Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
hangar
* Relocation of
Nepal Army
The Nepali Army ( ne, नेपाली सेना, translit=Nēpālī Sēnā), technically the Gorkhali Army ( ne, गोरखाली सेना, translit=Gōrakhālī Sēnā, label=none; see ''Gorkhas''), is the land service branch ...
infrastructure, hangar and other associated work
Ground transportation
Sajha Yatayat
Sajha Yatayat ( ne, साझा यातायात) is a public transportation bus system in Nepal serving the capital city of Kathmandu as well as its surrounding valley. It mainly runs bus routes throughout Kathmandu and Lalitpur city. Since ...
buses connect the airport's international terminal to
Kathmandu's city centre, and
Lalitpur's city centre. Buses from other local companies stop in front of the airport's main gate, 500 meters in front of the terminal buildings. Meter and prepaid
taxis
A taxis (; ) is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus such as light or the presence of food. Taxes are innate behavioural responses. A taxis differs from a tropism (turning response, often growth towards or away from a stim ...
are available at both terminals at all hours.
Incidents and accidents
* On 10 May 1973, a
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is a long-range narrow-body airliner built by the American Douglas Aircraft Company.
After losing the May 1954 US Air Force tanker competition to the Boeing KC-135, Douglas announced in July ...
operated by
Thai Airways
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, trading as THAI (, th, บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด (มหาชน)) is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961, the airline has its corporate h ...
overran the runway on landing with 100 of passengers and 10 crew on board, there was one fatality.
* On 31 July 1992, an
Airbus A310-304
The Airbus A310 is a wide-body aircraft, designed and manufactured by Airbus Industrie, then a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers.
Airbus had identified a demand for an aircraft smaller than the A300, the first twin-jet wide-bo ...
, operating as
Thai Airways International Flight 311
Thai Airways International Flight 311 was a flight from Bangkok, Thailand's Don Mueang International Airport to Kathmandu, Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport. On Friday, 31 July 1992, an Airbus A310-304 on the route, registration crashed on ...
crashed into a mountain while approaching Kathmandu, killing all 113 people on board.
* On 28 September 1992, an
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Airbus.
In September 1967, aircraft manufacturers in the United Kingdom, France, and West Germany signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a large airliner.
West ...
B4-203 operating as
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 was an Airbus A300, Aircraft registration, registration which Aviation accidents and incidents, crashed while approaching Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on 28 September 1992. All 167 pe ...
crashed while approaching Kathmandu, killing all 167 on board, making it the worst air accident in Nepal.
* On 17 January 1995, a
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
operating as
Royal Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
Flight 133 from Kathmandu to
Rumjatar, had problems getting airborne at Tribhuvan International Airport. The aircraft struck the airfield perimeter fence and plunged into fields. Of three crew and 21 passengers on board, one crew member and one passenger were killed.
* On 7 July 1999, a
Boeing 727-200F
The Boeing 727 is an American narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After the heavy 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter flight lengths from smaller airpo ...
operated by
Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Cargo AG is a German cargo airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa. It operates worldwide air freight and logistics services and is headquartered at Frankfurt Airport, the main hub of Lufthansa. Besides operating dedicated ...
crashed in the Champadevi hills at the 7550 feet level, five minutes after takeoff, when it should have been at an altitude of 9500 feet. All five crew members on board were killed.
* On 5 September 1999, a
BAe 748-501 Super 2B operating as
Necon Air Flight 128
Necon Air Flight 128 (3Z 128/NEC 128) was a scheduled domestic flight from Pokhara Airport to Kathmandu Airport in Nepal on 5 September 1999. The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 crashed when it hit a telecommunications tower.
Aircraft
The aircraft invol ...
from
Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
to Kathmandu, crashed while approaching Tribhuvan International Airport. The aircraft collided with a communication tower of Nepal Telecommunication Corporation and crashed in a wooded area 25 km west of Kathmandu. All 10 passengers and 5 crew were killed.
* On 26 December 1999, an
Airbus A300B2-101 operating as
Indian Airlines Flight 814
Indian Airlines Flight 814, commonly known as IC 814, was an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 en route from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India, on Friday, 24 December 1999, whe ...
was hijacked en route from Kathmandu to
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
. The aircraft ended up in
Kandahar
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a List of cities in Afghanistan, city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population ...
, Afghanistan. Indian Airlines suspended all flights to and from Nepal for some time, fearing a lack of security at check-in.
* On 24 December 2008, a
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
operated by
Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
ran off the runway during takeoff
* On 24 August 2010, a
Dornier 228
The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. Two hundred and forty-five were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 19 ...
operating as
Agni Air Flight 101 crashed into hills outside Kathmandu in heavy rain.
All on board (3 crew, 11 passengers) were killed. The plane, crashed near
Shikharpur village, south of Kathmandu. The aircraft had left Tribhuvan International Airport, bound for
Tenzing-Hillary Airport
Tenzing-Hillary Airport , also known as Lukla Airport, is a domestic airport and altiport in the town of Lukla, in Khumbu Pasanglhamu, Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1 of Nepal. It gained worldwide fame as it was rated the most dangerou ...
.
* On 25 September 2011, a
Beechcraft 1900D operating as
Buddha Air Flight 103
On 25 September 2011, Buddha Air Flight 103, a Beechcraft 1900D commuter aircraft, crashed near Lalitpur, Nepal, while attempting to land in poor weather at nearby Kathmandu Airport. All 19 passengers and crew on board were killed. The aircraft, ...
, struck terrain while approaching Tribhuvan International Airport. There were 16 passengers and three crew members on board. Initial reports stated there was one survivor, who died en route to hospital. At the time of the crash, the weather was overcast with very low clouds and flights were operating under
visual flight rules
In aviation, visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better ...
. The aircraft was on the base leg of the approach following a sightseeing flight.
* On 28 September 2012, a
Dornier 228
The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. Two hundred and forty-five were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 19 ...
operating as
Sita Air Flight 601, crashed soon after take-off, after apparently hitting a
vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
. Sixteen passengers and three crew members were killed.
* On 4 March 2015, an
Airbus A330-300
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus.
Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner in the mid-1970s. Then the company began development on the A330 twinjet in parallel with the A34 ...
operated by
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines ( Turkish: ''Türk Hava Yolları'') is the national flag carrier airline of Turkey. , it operates scheduled services to 340 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, making it the largest mainline carrier in the ...
veered off the runway after attempting to land in dense fog. The aircraft had been circling for 30 minutes and was making its second landing attempt, after a previous aborted attempt due to poor visibility.
The aircraft skidded into soft grass causing the nose wheel to collapse and the airport to temporarily close to all international flights. All 227 passengers and 11 crew members evacuated the aircraft safely.
* On 12 March 2018, a
Bombardier Dash 8 Q400
The De Havilland Canada DHC-8, commonly known as the Dash 8, is a series of turboprop-powered regional airliners, introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. DHC was later bought by Boeing in 1988, then by Bombardier in 1992; then by ...
operating as
US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211
US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh, to Kathmandu, Nepal, that crashed on 12 March 2018 while landing, killing 51 of the 71 people aboard. The aircraft, a 76-seat Bombardier Q4 ...
, carrying 67 passengers and 4 crew veered off the runway while landing then crashed on the east side of Tribhuvan International Airport before catching fire. 47 passengers and 4 crew were killed.
* On 19 April 2018, a
Boeing 737-900ER
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as 737NG, or 737 Next Gen, is a narrow-body aircraft powered by two jet engines and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Launched in 1993 as the third generation derivative of the Boein ...
operated by
Malindo Air
Batik Air Malaysia (formerly known as Malindo Air) is a Malaysian full service carrier, an associate carrier of Indonesian Lion Air Group, with headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. The original name Malindo signifies a cooperative ...
on a scheduled flight to
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
, anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, su ...
overran the runway after a high-speed
rejected takeoff
In aviation terminology, a rejected takeoff (RTO) or aborted takeoff is the situation in which it is decided to abort the takeoff of an airplane.
There can be many reasons for deciding to perform a rejected takeoff, but they are usually due to a ...
. The aircraft skidded roughly 250 feet (75 meters) south of the runway end and stopped along a grassy area between two runways. All 132 passengers and seven crew members escaped injury. Damage to the aircraft was minor, and the airport was closed for 12 hours until it was removed. The flight crew opted to abort the takeoff due to a warning indicated the aircraft was not
correctly configured.
* On 1 September 2018, a
BAe Jetstream 41
The British Aerospace Jetstream 41 is a turboprop-powered feederliner and regional airliner, designed by British Aerospace as a stretched version of the popular Jetstream 31. Intended to compete directly with 30-seat aircraft like the Embraer ...
operated by
Yeti Airlines
Yeti Airlines Pvt. Ltd. ( ne, यती एअरलाइन्स) is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The airline was established in May 1998 and received its Air Operators Certificate on 17 August 1998. Since 2019, Yeti Airlines is ...
en route from
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
skidded off the runway, seconds after touching down. All 21 passengers and the crew of 3, evacuated the aircraft safely without injuries but the aircraft was written off. Slippery runway due to rainfall was reported to be the cause of the incident.
* On 12 July 2019,
Yeti Airlines
Yeti Airlines Pvt. Ltd. ( ne, यती एअरलाइन्स) is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The airline was established in May 1998 and received its Air Operators Certificate on 17 August 1998. Since 2019, Yeti Airlines is ...
'
ATR 72-500
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed ...
, which was flying from
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
, skidded off the runway as it landed at Tribhuvan International Airport. There were 68 people aboard, including four crew members; all of them were able to safely exit the plane, but two passengers sustained minor injuries.
See also
*
List of airports in Nepal
This is a list of airports in Nepal, sorted by location.
The country's three international airports and the hub of air services in the country are Tribhuvan International Airport, which serves the nation's capital and the country's largest metr ...
References
External links
*
*
*
{{authority control
Airports in Nepal
Transport in Kathmandu
Tourism in Kathmandu
1950 establishments in Nepal