All flights at Tribhuvan International Airport have been cancelled today due to unprecedented security concerns.
Kathmandu, Nepal — September 3, 2025 — Nepal’s main gateway to the world, Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), was forced to suspend all operations on Wednesday as unprecedented protests erupted in surrounding areas.
International flights have been halted since 12:45 pm following a billow of smoke near Koteshwar. Authorities confirmed that both domestic and international flights were halted after large groups of demonstrators gathered near the airport perimeter, demanding government action on economic and labor issues. The protests escalated quickly, leading aviation officials to ground flights for safety reasons.
Witnesses reported long queues of passengers stranded inside the terminal, with many international travelers facing uncertainty over when flights would resume. Airlines, including Nepal Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines, issued statements warning of significant delays and diversions.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said it was coordinating with security forces to restore order but could not provide an estimate on when operations would resume. “The situation is extraordinary. For the first time in recent memory, we have had to shut down Tribhuvan entirely due to civil unrest,” a CAAN spokesperson said.
Tribhuvan International Airport is the country’s only international gateway, handling millions of passengers annually and serving as a critical hub for tourism, trade, and migrant workers. Its closure has ripple effects across the region, with several inbound flights forced to divert to Delhi and Dhaka.
