The much-anticipated upgrade work at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) officially began on Friday night. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is expanding several key areas of the airport, including the parallel taxiway to the south-west, the international terminal to the north, and the hangar apron to the east. The project is expected to take about five months, with daily closures of the international terminal for 10 hours.
Starting November 8, TIA will remain closed for international flights from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM every day to allow the upgrade work to proceed smoothly.
In response to the disruption, the Nepalese government has ramped up efforts to fully operationalize two other international airports: Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa and Pokhara International Airport. Several international airlines, including Fly Dubai, Jazeera Airways, and Thai Air Asia, have already confirmed regular flights to Bhairahawa.
The government has introduced a special incentive package for airlines operating at these two airports, which have faced challenges attracting regular international flights since their opening.
