The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has announced plans to extend the daily operational hours of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) starting mid-February. After a month and a half of reduced hours, operations will increase by two hours, with further extensions planned for mid-March.
From mid-February, TIA will operate from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and starting mid-March, the hours will expand to 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM. The decision was made by CAAN’s management committee, citing reduced winter fog, faster progress on construction projects, and the inconvenience caused to air travelers by the limited hours.
Since November 8, TIA’s operational hours were reduced to 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM to facilitate the expansion of its taxiway. Under normal conditions, the airport operates from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
According to Pradeep Adhikari, Director General of CAAN, the extension will allow TIA to operate for 16 hours daily. Construction work on the parallel taxiway to the southwest, the international apron to the north, and the hangar apron to the east is advancing rapidly. The project, initially expected to last about five months, has shown promising progress.
Deputy Director General Hansa Raj Pandey explained that the decision to increase operational hours was influenced by several factors, including the receding winter fog, the accelerated pace of construction, and passenger needs. “From mid-February, the fog will clear earlier, allowing operations to start at 7:00 AM. Additionally, the contractor has exceeded expectations with nighttime progress, enabling us to extend operations by an extra hour at night,” Pandey stated.
The construction contractor was consulted before finalizing the new schedule. The contractor expressed confidence in maintaining the construction timeline despite the reduced closure period and committed to deploying additional equipment and manpower. The workforce has also increased post-festive season as workers returned to their posts.
The reduction in TIA’s operational hours since November led to a surge in international flights at Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA), with five international airlines now operating regularly. Despite concerns that TIA’s extended hours might reduce traffic at other airports, CAAN remains optimistic. Pandey emphasized that TIA’s operational changes will not negatively impact air traffic at GBIA or Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA). “We will continue offering incentives to attract more flights to GBIA and PRIA,” he assured.
