KATHMANDU, Nov 9: Flight operations at Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) resumed from 10 PM local time on Saturday, after being temporarily halted due to a problem in the airfield lighting system, airport officials said.
A short circuit in the runway lighting system, likely caused by rainwater seeping into wiring lanes, disrupted airport operations from 5:30 PM, delaying all domestic and international arrivals and departures. At least five flights were reported on hold during the outage.
Among the affected flights, a Korean Airways aircraft with low fuel was diverted to New Delhi, while a domestic Buddha Air flight from Janakpur, held over the Simara holding zone, returned to its origin. TIA’s 3,350-metre table top runway went dark, prompting urgent repair work, which officials confirmed was underway.
Runway lighting is crucial for guiding aircraft during low visibility conditions, marking the runway edges, centreline, and threshold to assist pilots during takeoff, landing, and taxiing. Airport authorities have now restored normal operations, ensuring the safe resumption of flights.