Flight operations at Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) were suspended on Saturday evening following a malfunction in the airfield lighting system, airport officials told ANI.
According to Renji Sherpa, spokesperson for the Himalayan nation’s only operating international airport, a short circuit was detected around 5:30 PM (local time), leading to the grounding of both domestic and international flights.
“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, including domestic and international, have been delayed. The problem was detected from 5:30 PM (Local Time),” Sherpa confirmed to ANI over the phone.
Officials suspect that rainwater seeping into the wire lanes of the runway lights may have triggered the short circuit, resulting in the disruption.
Flights from Dubai (Fly Dubai), Qatar (Qatar Airways), and Korea (Korean Airways) were held at Simara Airport. Due to low fuel, the Korean Airways flight was diverted to New Delhi, while a Buddha Air flight from Janakpur was instructed to return to its origin after being held over Simara’s airspace.
With the lighting system down, the runway at TIA reportedly went dark. The airport, which features a 3,350-metre tabletop runway, remains under repair.
“Repair works are underway,” Sherpa said.
Runway lighting systems are critical for guiding aircraft during low visibility and nighttime operations, marking runway edges, centrelines, and thresholds to ensure safe takeoff and landing.
*With Agency Inputs
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
